When my sister and I traveled to France some eight years ago for a trip for my 40th birthday, we arrived at our hotel in the french countryside very late in the evening and had not eaten. We asked the hotel if they had anything they could bring us for dinner. They apologized and said the kitchen was long closed and then shortly there after showed up with a lovely tray with Soup au Pistou, crusty french bread, french butter, pate and cheese. Let me tell you, this was way better than any restaurant meal I have had in many years. Obviously, I still remember this meal and crave it's rustic simplicity. So, when I read House Beautiful's review of "The French Country Table" by Laura Washburn, I went online and ordered it.
I just received it in the mail ~ {Oh, Merry Christmas, sista! I got you one too}
This weekend and plan to make:
Soup au Pistou
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
8 oz. new potatoes, chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
1 sprig of thyme
2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained
6 oz. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 oz. spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 2/3 cups finely grated cheese (aged Gouda or Parmesan)
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pistou Ingredients
6 garlic cloves
Leaves from a small bunch of basil
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish. Add the onion, fennel, and zucchini and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, stock, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
2. Add the cannellini and kidney beans and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the green beans and the spaghetti and cook for about 10 minutes more, until the pasta is tender. Cover and let stand. Ideally, the soup should rest for at least a few hours before serving, or make one day in advance and refrigerate. (Do not make the pistou until you are ready to serve; it is best fresh, and the basil and garlic should not be cooked.)
3. To make the pistou, put the garlic, basil, and oil in a small food processor and blend until well chopped. You can also make it using a mortar and pestle, starting with the garlic and finishing with the oil, added gradually. It is more authentic, but I've never been very good at this method.
4. To serve, heat the soup and pass round the pistou and cheese, to be stirred in to taste. The soup can also be served at room temperature.
When I was gathering information for my last post "The Stylish and Well-stocked Pantry", I came across this documentary from "The French Pantry," a gourmet store in London. The YouTube documentary follows the owners on a buying trip to France as they visit the small cottage industries that make the products they sell ~ like homemade French lemonade, soups and jams. I thought it was interesting and hope you do too! Enjoy!
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