November 12, 2009


Soupe au Pistou

Julie had charged the group with picking recipes from Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud Cookbook for November's Charm City Cookbook Club. Not having this cookbook, but having a great appreciation and fondness for French food, I opted to purchase a copy. Amazon came through with a listing for a used copy, priced at just $13.

With the course assignment made, my individual charge, soup. So, leave it to me to find the one soup in the book that ended up being a French version of minestrone, Soupe au Pistou. To be quite honest, it wasn't an accident that I picked this particular soup. I had a motive, you see...I didn't want to have to blend or puree anything. So, it was a happy accident, this soup, '...(it's minestrone's cousin)...', as chef Boulud says in his introduction to the recipe. The girl who wanted to cook French, cooked French, but with much Italian relief, so to speak.

I arrived at Julie's house first. Once there, I followed her to the kitchen which resides in the basement. I didn't find this out of the ordinary at all. There are many basement kitchens scattered around Baltimore, canning kitchens. Fondly, it reminded me of AbFab and the entire night I felt as if I had fallen into an Eddy-like trance, always in the way, spinning around haphazardly and even once stepping on Annabelle, Julie's dog. Sweeeeetteeeeee...


I had my mise en place. Hours before I had prepped while watching Pepin and Child on public television. Each 1/2 inch diced vegetable in its own individual sandwich bag. Everything measured out precisely and grouped in order of use. I had even stored the diced Yukon in it's own water filled container to prevent discoloration. The pesto, pistou, pre-pestled with the addition of pine nuts. As chef Boulud says '...I love the body and richness that a few ground nuts bring to this soup.' I couldn't agree more.

So, with one spice sachet, one bouquet garni and six cups of vegetable stock in waiting I started Soupe au Pistou

Julie's range is massive. The photo above does not do its size justice. Burner after burner with a warming tray and side by side ovens, what a treat. More than enough real estate for everyone to do their thing. I hung out on the front left, it turned out to be the perfect burner for this soup.

Sauté celery, onion, leek and garlic in extra virgin olive oil.

Salt and pepper.

Sachet and garni with six cups vegetable stock.

Simmer...taste...adjust seasoning.

Yukon and carrot.

Simmer...taste...adjust seasoning.

Haricots verts.

Simmer...taste...adjust seasoning.

Chickpeas and zucchini.

Simmer...taste...adjust seasoning.

Plum tomatoes.

Discard sachet and garni.

Turn off burner.

Bowls were readied, I ladled the soup. The final touch, a dollop of pesto. Carefully, the bowls were brought to the table and we ladies sat down to eat. I stirred the pesto into the soup and tasted. Sweet relief, it tasted good, really good.

With my nerves finally settled and my belly warmed and prepped for the next course, I relaxed...Edwina Monsoon-like, of course. Drinking sometimes like fish and being a constant physical nuisance. :)

15 comments:

  1. Sweetie Dahling, I quote a few random lines from AbFab and nobody EVER knows what the heck I'm talking about. Sorry, I know that doesn't really have anything to do with your soup but I just had to say it.

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  2. Ah, the relief when you sit down and taste the product of your day's work (or longer!) and it has TURNED OUT! Don't I know the feeling. Congratulations...sounds like a wonderful dish. And I'm jealous of that range!

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  3. Wendi...

    'Abort! Abort!...'

    Jennifer Saunders is a genius to me. I need to dust off my box sets and make a day of it, I think. :)

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  4. The Gourmet Observer...It was a relief and quite nice following a recipe that actually worked in a home kitchen.

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  5. That range...WOW. Too bad it could never live in my house!

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  6. I'm not one to blend or puree very often and this looks like a nice soup. Any cousin of minestrone's is a friend of mine.

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  7. Beth...I think it has its own zipcode. :)

    denise...it's a proud soup that requires very little attention, but doesn't shy away from it and rewards for the effort.

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  8. That range is as big as our flat, well not quite..I have dreams about cookers like that....Nice soup, right up my street.
    The thought of you stepping on the dog really tickled me

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  9. If you don't have one, get an immersion blender. It makes pureeing a soup a breeze! I use mine all the time cause you know SF can't see an onion in his food - and how can one cook without onions!

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  10. Wow! that range!! Really nice soup :)

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  11. I remember that british ab-fab show! Crazy people working in a department store? now how does that compare to us? :-p yes that soup was absolutely 100% divine.

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  12. Tracy, I didn't realize that Julie was Kitchenography Julie. I saw her on Friday, put two and two together, and properly embarrassed myself fawning over her stove.

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  13. Julie...I used to have an immersion blender, years ago. Not exactly sure what happened to it. Probably lost in a move, no doubt.

    Ellie...thanks. I might have to make it again soon. I can see it becoming a staple in our kitchen.

    Elisabeth...I think you're thinking of the show 'Faulty Towers' maybe? I'm so happy you liked the soup. :)

    Wendi...I sorry I couldn't make it Friday. It would have been nice to finally meet you.

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  14. rachel...I still have flashbacks of stepping on the dog. I'm so utterly clumsy. :)

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  15. Soup was fabulous, I love that we get to cook on La Cornue. You were not the least bit in the way, that was me ;-)

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