The optimism associated with the recently arrived milder weather of spring, complete with a glorious selection of herbs and young vegetables begs for the production of restoratives such as a Soupe au Pistou.

A Spring / Summer vegetable soup from the south of France, fresh and vibrant with the glorious aromas of basil and olive oil. I may be slightly premature in proffering this receipt in October but it is something that you can enjoy now from the moment the first basil appears until its final demise, sometime in April.

My recipe notes identify this recipe as originating from a cutting from the Sunday Age way back in 1996, a contribution of the wonderful Ian Parmenter. Largely loyal to his recommendations we have made this soup regularly for now well over a decade.

We routinely have it for lunch.

It has been gratefully received on many a Christmas night after far too much food.

Last summer we had a young French exchange student to stay. I prepared this for lunch and we discovered her weeping into the mortar and pestle as she dutifully pounded away at the basil and garlic. Homesick for the first time because she was surrounded by the smells of home. “In the Summer, it comes from every kitchen window” she told us.

Prepare the soup and the pistou as directed below. You are well able to appoint a compliant child or biddable other to slowly pour in the oil as you whisk the egg yolks, it’s a bit of a fiddle otherwise.

Eat this meal under a tree, at a table on a sunny day with crusty bread and butter and an excellent, light red wine. To serve, place a dollop of the pistou in the bottom of each bowl before adding the soup. Allow each diner to stir his own pistou into the soup savoring the aromas as they transpire.

Bon Appetite!

Soupe au Pistou

Equipment

• A heavy 5 litre saucepan or stock pot

• A mortar and pestle

Ingredients (Serves 6)

This is not the time to tip the contents of your fridge into a pot and hope for the best! Use only the freshest of ingredients for the best outcome.

• 2 medium onions sliced into rings

• 2 leeks sliced into rings

• 2 carrots grated

• 2 sticks celery diced

• 2 large potatoes cubed

• 200g fresh beans, chopped to bite size

• 1 x 440g can white (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed

• 5 – 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 3 – 4 litres water and 2 chicken stock cubes or 3 – 4 litres stock

• Salt and pepper

Method

• Using slow heat takes a lot of stress out of cooking. Cook gently, nothing gets to burn, boil over or do anything else that makes one vow to never cook again.

• Heat the olive oil, gently cook the onions, leeks, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes or until softened

• Add potato and garlic

• Cover with water (and 2 chicken stock cubes) or stock and simmer for 1 ½ hours

• Check the seasoning, add another stock cube if necessary

• Just before serving add the white and green beans and prepare the pistou

The Pistou

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 cup torn basil leaves

• 1 egg yolk at room temperature

• ½ cup olive oil

• 100g grated parmesan cheese

Method

• Pound the basil and garlic in a mortar and pestle

• Add the egg yolk

• Gradually stir in the olive oil, starting a few drops at a time, incorporating it as you go. (Use a fork or mayonnaise whisk)

• Add the parmesan

NB: The pistou will brown if left exposed to the air. Be sure to prepare just before serving and if, by remote chance, there is any extra, store it in a jar covered with olive oil.

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