Spring Vegetable Soupe au Pistou
While this is a traditional French soup, my family and I actually learned to make it in England during a cooking class at Daylesford Organic Farm, Gloucestershire. It's full of delicious and nutritious vegetables, and topped with a watercress pesto that takes this really simple vegetable soup to a whole new level. Being very easy to make and a good way to clean out the leftover vegetables in your fridge, this dish makes for a great, healthy mid-week meal for either lunch or dinner.
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Servings: 4 people
Calories: 310 kcal
Net Carbs: 22 g
Ingredients
- 3 (3) shallots, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp) butter
- 1 (1) bay leaf
- 4 cloves (4 cloves) garlic, crushed and minced
- 1 (1) large Yukon gold potato, peeled
- 3 (3) medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 (4) small celery sticks, diced
- 1 (1) large leek, thinly sliced
- 60 oz (1.7 l) chicken bone broth
- 1 bunch (1 bunch) green onions, sliced
- 10 stalks (10 stalks) asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (1) medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
- 1 (1) medium yellow squash, quartered and sliced
- 1 bunch (1 bunch) watercress
- 1/4 cup (54 g) olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp (1 1/2 Tbsp) fresh tarragon, chopped
- 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp ) fresh oregano, chopped
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- Freshly ground salt and pepper , to taste
- Grated parmesan, to taste
Instructions
- Chop all the vegetables and peel the potato ahead of time – it will make making the soup smoother and more organized.
- In a large pot over low heat, sweat down the chopped shallots in the butter with the bay leaves. Mince three of the garlic cloves and add them to the shallots, continuing to soften them.
- Meanwhile, boil the peeled potato until it begins to soften, about 15 minutes. When soft and cooled, remove from the water, and dice into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Add the carrots, celery, and leek to the pan. Sauté until softened. Add the chicken stock to the pot, and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking until all the vegetables soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the green onions, asparagus, zucchini, squash, and potatoes and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, blend together the watercress, remaining garlic clove, and olive oil in a food processor to create a thick and smooth, pesto-like dressing. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
- When the soup is done cooking, season with the chopped tarragon and oregano, the lemon juice, and freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the soup into large bowls, and top each with a generous dollop of the watercress pesto and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcalFat: 21gSodium: 1677mgNet Carbs: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPotassium: 1217mgCarbohydrates: 28gVitamin A: 9111IUFiber: 6gVitamin C: 69mgSugar: 8gCalcium: 155mgProtein: 7gIron: 5mg
