B K Witch's Soupe Provencal Au Pistou

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large carrots (chopped)
• 2 medium yellow onions (chopped)
• 4 celery ribs (chopped)
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans (snapped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 zucchini (halved lengthwise, then sliced thinly crosswise)
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 teaspoons salt (divided in half)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb yellow potato (peeled and diced into 1/2 dice)
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup frozen baby peas
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (drained)
• 1/2 cup shell pasta (the tiny ones)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Recipe

• 1 in a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over med-low heat.
• 2 add the carrots, onion and celery; sauté for 6 minutes.
• 3 add the green beans, zucchini, the mushrooms, 1 tsp of the salt, and the black pepper.
• 4 cook, stirring often, about 6 more minutes.
• 5 add the potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, the chicken stock, the onion powder, the garlic powder, and the 3 cups water.
• 6 bring just to a boil.
• 7 reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• 8 add the green peas, the cannellini beans, the pasta, and the second 1 tsp of salt.
• 9 continue simmering for 10 minutes longer, until the pasta, and all vegetables are tender.
• 10 turn heat to low.
• 11 to make the pistou:.
• 12 put the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and 1/4 tsp of salt into a food processor or a blender.
• 13 purée, as you slowly drizzle in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
• 14 stir 1/4 cup of the pistou into the soup.
• 15 serve the hot soup in soup bowls with a teaspoonful of the pistou topping the center of each bowl.