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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
