Soup Au Pistou

Whomever cast the soup spell on me did a fabulous job. I am a certified soup junkie. No other dish is quite as satisfying nutritionally as it embodies that comfort effect only a warm hot bubbly liquid can muster. And now that I have settled in with the fact that colder temperatures are here and I must accept it, I am making peace with the idea of the blustery winds, dreary colors and powdery white stuff throwing its bad self on everything within eye shot. So, as I say goodbye to the heat and the beautiful colors, I say, “Oh hello things I like about gloomy weather!” I took the time this week to place some firewood on my back porch so when the chill arrives a fire will be had in a flash along with my best made soup I just discovered called soup au pistou. Of course, a roaring fire is one of my cold weather favorites along with a snuggly sweater, boots of any kind, scarves, a few good movies for the long weekends and now I’m a happy girl. Got my soup tricked out with an olive oil pesto sauce, a roaring fire, a movie–Primal Fear, that sweater I love and big thick fluffy socks with my boots near me in case I have to throw a few more logs on the fire. The only other thing I could ask for is that my delicious hot meal takes only a few minutes of my time to come together yet tastes like it simmered all day long. I got you covered on that as well.

There are some soups that when it requires a whole lot of can dumping it tastes just like, well dumpy. But this dish calls for a little of both–a few cans and some fresh ingredients. You’d never know it by the taste especially the fresh pesto afterthought that is drizzled and screams for an encore. I know I kept going back for more. The taste was so fresh, I had to experience it with each spoonful. Feel free to swap out vegetables you enjoy. You can use dried beans but of course the cooking time will be quite a bit longer. Potatoes are traditionally used but I decided pasta suited me slightly better.

Soup Au Pistou

By janet@cafeontherun.net Published: October 25, 2011

• Yield: 6 Servings
• Cook: 10 mins

The fresh pesto sauce is like whip cream on the top of the most delicious pie ever made only we are talking about an out of this world soup. Like no other, give it try.

Ingredients

• 1 zuchini squash chopped
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh chopped kale packed
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 3 strips bacon
• 48 oz. chicken broth fresh or canned
• 1/2 lb. pasta cooked; any will do
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/8 tsp. celery seed
• 2 bay leaves
• Pita bread for garnish
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

1. In a large stock pan drizzle the bottom with olive oil and saute for 4 minutes the onion, garlic, bacon, spices and bay leaves . Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil for 5 minutes. In a food processor add the basil, garlic and cheese and puree’. Add the olive oil until it’s all mixed. Ladle the soup in bowls and drizzle with pistou or pesto sauce and garnish with pita bread.