Provençal Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto

Name: Provençal Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto
Yield: Serves 8 or so
Ingredients: 2 bay leaves; 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 large red or white boiling potato, scrubbed and diced; 1 large red or white boiling potato, scrubbed and diced; 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; 2 cups leeks, including white and tender green parts, cut into rings; 2 cups chopped onions; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups fresh green beans or zucchini cut in ½-inch pieces; Basic Basil Pesto; 2 cups cooked dried beans of your choice such as navy, flageolet, or garbanzo, drained and rinsed if canned; 2 cups fresh green beans or zucchini cut in ½-inch pieces; 1 cup seeded and diced fresh tomatoes, or drained, canned diced tomatoes; ½ cup small dry pasta such as riso; 3- or 4-inch chunk of Parmesan rind (optional); 1 cup seeded and diced fresh tomatoes, or drained, canned diced tomatoes; 2 quarts homemade chicken or vegetable stock or your favorite canned broth or water; 2 quarts homemade chicken or vegetable stock or your favorite canned broth or water; 2 quarts homemade chicken or vegetable stock or your favorite canned broth or water; 2 quarts homemade chicken or vegetable stock or your favorite canned broth or water; 1 teaspoon fennel seed; 2 teaspoons whole thyme

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Cooking One on One

By John Ash

Published 2004

About

Don’t let the long list of ingredients deter you. The soup cooks quickly, and the pesto’s already made, right? My little secret ingredient is a piece of Parmesan cheese rind, which simmers along with the vegetables and adds great flavor. You remove it at serving time and can reuse it till it’s gone. Store wrapped in the freezer. The rind of Parmesan and related hard cheeses like Asiago or Pecorino are amazing flavor boosters. Of course, if you don’t have any rind, the soup will still be del

Ingredients

Vegetarian
Soup

Ingredients

Method