Soupe au Pistou

This hearty soup from France's Provence region is made of summer vegetables, beans, potatoes, and pasta. It is topped off with the French pistou sauce, similiar to the Italian pesto but without the pine nuts. Though it is a summer food in France, I find it to be a perfect meal on a cold winter night.

What you need:

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, chopped

2 cups green beans, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 cups white beans, cooked or canned (without juice)

4 tomatoes, chopped

7 cups water

4 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

for the pistou sauce

1 cup packed fresh basil

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp olive oil

In a large pot, sauté the onions, leeks, carrots, and potatoes in olive oil for 10 minutes or until slightly soft (but not brown). Add the green beans and zucchini and sauté for another 7 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and water and cook until the broth begins to boil. Add the white beans and tomatoes and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste the pasta and potatoes to make sure they are done. Sprinkle with more salt or pepper if necessary.

While the soup is cooking you can make the pistou sauce. In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients and blend.

When the soup is ready, serve with a dollop of pistou sauce on top and enjoy.