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1
IN ADVANCE To make the soup base, heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat.
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2
Add the leeks, onion, and carrots.
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3
Stir until the leeks and onion turn translucent, about 10 minutes.
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4
ADD the beans, zucchini, broth, and bouquet garni.
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5
Bring the soup to a simmer, simmer for about 5 minutes, and add the macaroni and green beans.
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6
Continue simmering for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the zucchini and macaroni have softened.
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7
DONT season the soup until youve added the pistou, which is very salty.
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8
If youre not serving the soup right away, chill it as quickly as you can so the vegetables dont overcook.
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9
MAKE the pistou by hand or in a blender.
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HAND METHOD If you have a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, basil, and coarse salt in the mortar.
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11
Grind the mixture to a paste and add the cheese.
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12
Gradually work in the chopped tomato and then the olive oil.
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13
IF you dont have a mortar and pestle, chop the garlic finely and crush it into a paste with the side of a chefs knife.
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Put the basil leaves on the cutting board with the garlic and sprinkle them with a few tablespoons of the olive oil (to prevent them from turning black during chopping).
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15
Chop the basil very finely.
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COMBINE the basil and garlic in a bowl with the cheese and the chopped tomato.
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Add the salt.
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BLENDER METHOD Put the tomatoes and then the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil in the blender.
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(The tomatoes go in first to provide liquid to get the mixture moving around.)
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Blend at high speed for about 1 minute, until the mixture turns into a paste.
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Transfer the pistou to a mixing bowl and stir in the olive oil.
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(The olive oil must be added by hand, or it will turn bitter.)
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23
AT THE LAST MINUTE To serve, whisk half of the pistou into the hot soup, then season with salt if needed and pepper.
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Immediately ladle the soup into hot bowls.
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25
Serve the French bread toasts in a basket.
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26
Pass the remaining pistou at the tablein a bowl or mortarand let guests help themselves.
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27
SUGGESTIONS AND VARIATIONS
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28
Although basil wilts quickly in the refrigerator, pistou will hold up for weeks if tightly sealed and for months if frozen.
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29
If you have the refrigerator or freezer space, making a quart of pistou (double the quantities given here) is a worthwhile project.
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30
You can use it not only to finish vegetable and fish soups but also as pasta sauce.
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31
Pesto (pesto genoese) is almost identical to pistou and works perfectly here.
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32
Make pistou as directed but replace the tomatoes with 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts.
