Summer soup? Why not!

Even in the summer, I love soup because of all of the readily available, delicious summer veggies. Summer produce is some of the best we get all year, so why not indulge in soup in the summer?Pistou is essentially the French equivalent of pesto, and with a bounty of basil, there's no time like now to whip up a batch. Marry your pistou with a variety of summer vegetables like sweet peas, sweet onions, fresh corn, and zucchini. Then bring it all together in a big pot of irresistible soup. Adding Pistou to this summer soup makes it a yummy seasonal treat. You'll love it!Easy to make and easy to serve?! That's my kind of meal!

Summer Soup with Pistou

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.xx Annette