Soupe Au Pistou

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 fennel bulbs, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 lb tomato, skinned and chopped
• 1 tablespoon herbes de provence
• 2 cups white wine
• 6 cups water
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 8 ounces green beans
• 2 cups cannellini beans, cooked
• 6 ounces pasta
• 2 cups basil leaves, packed
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. 1

   In a large stock pot,over high heat, heat the olive oil to almost smoking. Add onions allowing to take a little color and stirring just to keep from burning.

2. 2

   Add carrots and fennel continuing to stir only periodically. When fennel has slightly softened, add celery and tomatoes. Allow moisture from tomatoes to cook off.

3. 3

   Add wine to deglaze and allow to reduce by half.

4. 4

   Add zucchini and water, allowing to return to a boil, decrease heat and simmer 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Add green beans allowing soup to return to simmer before adding cannellini beans and pasta. Soup is done when the pasta is al dente. Add 2 tbsp Pistou before serving allowing the rest of the pistou to be added to taste.

6. 6

   Pistou.

7. 7

   In a food processor, place basil, olive oil, and garlic. process to a paste then add cheese only processing enough to mix.