Provencal Vegetable Soup

Name: Provencal Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6-8 bowls, 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 354.88 ml fresh broad beans, shelled or 177.44 ml dried haricot beans, soaked overnight; 2.46 ml dried herbes de provence; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 14.79 ml olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 large leek, finely sliced (or 2 small); 1 celery rib, finely sliced; 2 carrots, finely diced; 2 small potatoes, finely diced; 113.39 g French beans; 1182.95 ml water; 236.59 ml shelled garden peas (fresh or frozen); 2 small courgettes, finely chopped; 3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped; handful spinach leaves, cut into thin ribbbons; salt & freshly ground black pepper, as needed; 1 sprig fresh basil, to garnish; 1-2 garlic clove, finely chopped; 118.29 ml basil leaves, packed; 59.16 ml parmesan cheese, grated; 59.16 ml extra virgin olive oil

Submitted by Pneuma

"This is a traditional soup of Provence. Don't omit the pistou as this gives this dish a wonderful scent and color. Preparation time depends if using fresh or dried. If dried beans, soak overnight. An extra 30 min boiling time as stated in the procedure would be needed. Posted for ZWT5."

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photo by Sarah_Jayne

Ready In:: 1hr 45mins
Ingredients:: 21
Yields:: 6 bowls
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

354.88 ml fresh broad beans, shelled or 177.44 ml dried haricot beans, soaked overnight
2.46 ml dried herbes de provence
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
14.79 ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, finely sliced (or 2 small)
1 celery rib, finely sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 small potatoes, finely diced
113.39 g French beans
1182.95 ml water
236.59 ml shelled garden peas (fresh or frozen)
2 small courgettes, finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
handful spinach leaves, cut into thin ribbbons
salt & freshly ground black pepper, as needed
1 sprig fresh basil, to garnish
For the Pistou
1-2 garlic clove, finely chopped
118.29 ml basil leaves, packed
59.16 ml parmesan cheese, grated
59.16 ml extra virgin olive oil

directions

To make the pistou: mix in the food processor the 1st 3 pistou ingredients until smooth, adding the extra virgin oil last.
To make the soup: if using dried haricot beans,place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a hard boil for 10 mins and drain. Place the par-boiled beans, or fresh beans if using, in a saucepan with the herbes de Provence and one of the garlic cloves. Add water to cover by 2.5 cm./1in. Boil, reduce heat and simmer over a medium low heat until tender, about 20 minuters for fresh breans and about 1 hour for dried beans. Set aside in the cooking liquid.
In a large saucepan or flameproof casserole heat the oil. Add onion and leeks, cook for 5 minutes, stir occasionally, until onion softens.
Add celery, carrots and the other garlic clove and cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring.
Add potatoes, French beans and water, then season lighlty with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add courgettes, tomatoes and peas together with the reserved beans and their cooking liquid and simmer for 25-30mins, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Season the soup and swirl a spoonful of pistou into each bowl. Garnish with basil and serve.

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Reviews

I am soup mad and this was great - I had to sub lentils for the haricot beans and added a green pepper but made no other changes - great for a wintry Melbourne Sunday like today - made and greatly enjoyed for ZWT5

katew
Merci! Veggie soup is one of our favorites, this will be great during soup season. The pisto really brings it to life. I didn't have fresh basil, so used canned pisto and it was okay and used canned beans. This summer when I have lots of fresh basil, I will certainly make again. Made for the Epicurean Queen Team, ZWT5. My picture didn't turn out as good as Sarah's so I'll not post. Thanks for a real keeper.

BakinBaby
This soup is tres bon! What I particularly like is the amount of veggies that are packed in to one bowl of soup. I used a can of haricot beans which worked fine. The only real change I made to the recipe was to use a can of chopped tomatoes and to use a cooking spray in place of the oil in the first part of the recipe. Also, I confused the recipe with another soup recipe for a moment and had some dried tarragon out on the counter. So, I did put a bit of that in and it tasted as if it did belong with the other seasoning. The pistou really is the star of the recipe as it added a lovely depth to the soup. I served a fresh baguette along side bowls of the soup for a very tasty and healthy evening meal. Made for Chow Hounds on ZWT5.

Sarah_Jayne
I made this exactly as posted for an Autumn supper for my parents (who are vegetarians) and I. It was lovely, packed full of vegetables. I cheated and used a pistou I bought from the deli, other than that it was made as posted. We ate this with crusty bread and some grated cheese on top. Made for Aussie Recipe Swap #33, merci Pneuma! FT:-) (No photo as Sarah Jayne's is lovely and I am away from home with no proper area to photograph!!)

French Tart

Tweaks

This soup is tres bon! What I particularly like is the amount of veggies that are packed in to one bowl of soup. I used a can of haricot beans which worked fine. The only real change I made to the recipe was to use a can of chopped tomatoes and to use a cooking spray in place of the oil in the first part of the recipe. Also, I confused the recipe with another soup recipe for a moment and had some dried tarragon out on the counter. So, I did put a bit of that in and it tasted as if it did belong with the other seasoning. The pistou really is the star of the recipe as it added a lovely depth to the soup. I served a fresh baguette along side bowls of the soup for a very tasty and healthy evening meal. Made for Chow Hounds on ZWT5.

Sarah_Jayne