Soupe au Pistou

Most summers I find that growing basil in Britain is not as difficult as is often supposed. Under glass or in a sunny corner or windowsill just a pot or two (treat it like a busy-Lizzie) makes your summer cooking truly evocative of the south. In France two kinds of basil are grown: small-leaved, usually designated for sauces, and large-leaved, which is preferable for salads.

Those who make it know that home-made pesto really brings pasta alive and totally transforms this othe