Pistou

Summer produce feels a little like being in Provence for a few months because the middle of the summer is a time to eat a lot of basil, zucchini, and squash. One way is to make a ratatouille. Another is to make Provence's answer to Italian pesto in soup form or pistou.

Flavors of Provence by Nouvelle Images

Soup au Pistou

5 cups water

1 leek, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 zucchini, cubed

6 haricot verts beans cut into small pieces

1 ½ tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped

Sprig of parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Pistou sauce

4 garlic cloves

5 sweet basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Place 5 cups of water in a large soup pot. Add all the vegetables and herbs and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for an hour, until beans are tender. Add salt and pepper. Simmer and stir for another 15 minutes. During final simmer prepare pistou sauce. Mash the garlic in a mortar and basil leaves and continue mashing with the pestle until well mixed. Add grated cheese and mix well until it turns into a stiff, consistent paste. Place the mixture into a serving bowl and add the olive oil gradually while stirring until evenly mixed or prepare in a blender or food processor. Serve the soup and let individuals garnish their soup with the pistou sauce.

Castle Downs Lavender, one of the biggest lavender producers in the U.K.

Seeing this image, I may be inspired to try to figure out how to make the lavender chess pie that was always a summer offering at Scratch Bake in Durham, NC.