Summer Pitsou Soup

I'm a big fan of soup. Yes, even in the summer. Because of all of the readily available, delicious summer veggies, summer pistou soup can really be dare I say, even better than winter soup. I love to add summer vegetables like sweet peas, sweet onions, fresh corn, and zucchini. Adding Pistou to this soup makes it a summery treat.Easy to make and easy to serve; my kind of meal!

Summer Pitsou Soup 

You will need: 

- 1 large onion, chopped- 6 garlic cloves, minced- 1/3 cup olive oil- 1 lb small red-skinned potatoes, quartered- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" cubes- 1 lb kale, cut into ribbons- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1" cubes- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, in juice- 1 15 oz can of kidney beans- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme- 1 bay leaf- 1 cup thin spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces- 10 cups vegetable stock

To prepare:

Using a heavy pot, saute onion and garlic until transparent. Add vegetables and saute for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, and stock. Add thyme and bay leaf. Simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with a dollop of pistou on top of each bowl.

For Pistou:

- 3 garlic cloves- 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves- 1/2 teaspoon salt-1/4 cup olive oil- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To prepare: Finely chop garlic in processor. Add basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process until basil is finely chopped, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. With machine running, gradually blend in oil. Add cheese; process to blend well. Transfer to bowl. *Can be made 2 days ahead , store in a sealed container and refrigerate.Enjoy xx