Serves: 4
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Soaking time: 12 hours
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Three-Michelin-starred chef Gérald Passedat draws his inspiration from the sparkling Mediterranean to create this special pistou soup which celebrate the very best of fresh seafood and sun-ripened vegetables.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (3½ oz/100g) dried borlotti beans
- 2 potatoes
- 2 courgettes
- 3½ oz (100g) green beans
- 3½ oz (100g) flat green beans
- 2 plum tomatoes
- ½ cup (3½ oz/100g) navy (haricot) beans
- (preferably coco)
- 1¼ cups (5 oz/150g) elbow pasta (macaroni)
- or other small pasta shapes
- Salt, pepper
For the pistou
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small bunch basil
- ¼ cup (1½ oz/40g) grated Parmesan
- 3½ tbsp (1 oz/30g) pine nuts
- Scant ½ cup (100ml) Passedat olive oil (any other brand will work)
Directions
1Soak the borlotti beans in cold water for 12 hours before making the soup.
2Wash all the vegetables. Peel the potatoes and cut them into approximately ½ in (1 cm) cubes. Cut the courgettes into cubes of the same size. Cut the green beans and flat beans into lengths of approximately ½ in (1 cm). Reserve the prepared vegetables.
3Remove the stalks from the tomatoes and cut a cross in the base of each one with a small knife to make them easier to peel.
4Immerse in boiling water for a few seconds, then in cold water, and slip off the skins. Quarter the tomatoes, remove the cores and scoop out the pulp. Chop the tomato flesh into small cubes and reserve
5Drain the borlotti beans and put in a large pan of cold water with the navy beans. Place on the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, courgettes, green beans, and flat beans and let cook for an additional 20 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
6Make the pistou. Peel the garlic, remove the stalks from the basil, and put the leaves in a mortar with the garlic, Parmesan, and pine nuts. Grind, gradually adding the olive oil until you have a smooth, thick pistou sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7Take the soup off the heat and add the pistou, check the seasoning, and serve hot.
This comes courtesy of Taste of France Issue Two. For more great recipes, food news and interviews with top chefs, buy your copy here!
