Soup Au Pisto
Recipe four:
(Soup Au Pisto) - "Vegetable Soup"
This is a vegetable soup that was traditionally served during summers in France. Since the vegetables used to make this soup originally were only available in the summer months, it was not ideal for us to cook during wintertime.
In these days of genetically modified food, you can practically get any vegetable anytime you want, but we prefer not to use anything modified or non-organic, so we used what seasonal vegetables we could find locally. . .
Ingredients:
Soup
3 Quarts water
2 Cups dices carrots
2 Cups diced green beans
2 Cups diced fingerling potatoes
2 Cups diced leek whites
2 Cups navy beans
Pinch Saffron
Salt and pepper to taste
Pisto (This is where all the flavor is)
4 Cloves garlic
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil or as much as needed
Start by soaking you beans over night, the reduces cooking time and preserves the beneficial nutrients that you would lose in a longer cooking process.
This is a vegetable soup that was traditionally served during summers in France. Since the vegetables used to make this soup originally were only available in the summer months, it was not ideal for us to cook during wintertime.
In these days of genetically modified food, you can practically get any vegetable anytime you want, but we prefer not to use anything modified or non-organic, so we used what seasonal vegetables we could find locally. . .
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| (From left to right) Leeks, carrots, green beans, garlic, basil, tomato paste, saffron, navy beans |
Ingredients:
Soup
3 Quarts water
2 Cups dices carrots
2 Cups diced green beans
2 Cups diced fingerling potatoes
2 Cups diced leek whites
2 Cups navy beans
Pinch Saffron
Salt and pepper to taste
Pisto (This is where all the flavor is)
4 Cloves garlic
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil or as much as needed
Start by soaking you beans over night, the reduces cooking time and preserves the beneficial nutrients that you would lose in a longer cooking process.
In the 3 quarts of water, boil the leeks, potatoes, carrots and saffron for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes are just cooked through.
At the same time those vegetables are cooking boil the navy beans in a separate pot so they are fully cooked when you are ready to plate the soup. Put the green beans aside until the soup is almost done.
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| Note- those are fingerling potatoes, leftover from previous recipe. |
While the vegetables and beans are cooking you can make the pisto. Place garlic, basil and parmesan cheese in a food processor. While the ingredients are mixing start pouring in the olive oil until it formes a paste. I personally prefer a more tomato based pisto so I added the basil slowly, tasting after each piece was added.
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| Homemade Vegan Butter recipe here |
When done the Pisto should resemble the photo below. The flavor is very rich!
After making the pisto, check your veggies - they should be done. Now place the green beans and navy beans into the vegetable soup and cook until the green beans are cooked thoroughly (around 20 minutes). Once the soup is done adjust the seasonings using salt and pepper to taste.
Presentation is easy and how you prefer to do it is of course up to you. You can either take all of the pisto you made and put it in the bottom of a large soup tureen or soup pot and pour the soup over the pisto then serve. I prefer to spoon about a tablespoon of the pisto into a soup bowl and serve the bowl with the pisto on the bottom of the bowl, then server the soup in a large tureen and then ladle the soup into the bowl, it makes the whole dining experience more interactive.
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| Taster's note: It may not look like it, but the flavor is incredible and unlike any soup you've had before... |
The end result is a hearty delicious vegetable soup that both family and friends will love, simple but delicious.
