Vegetable and Pesto Soup with French Baguette Crostini
This easy, delicious soup will help you brush up your knife skills. Take care not too cook the soup too long or the vegetables will become soggy. This soup smells amazing, so make sure to always serve it piping hot - if served lukewarm there will be no steam and you will really miss out on a great sensory experience.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: medium
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup leeks, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup white turnip, diced
1/4 cup tomato, diced
1/4 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup potato, diced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup zucchini and yellow squash, diced
1/4 cup green beans, diced (cooked separately)
1/4 cup mini penne (cooked separately)
2 tablespoons black beans, cooked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Pesto
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped (I prefer to use a Microplane to grate the garlic)
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Crostini
1/4 French baguette
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic gloves
1 sprig of thyme, leaves only
1/2 cup grated Parmesan mixed with shredded Swiss cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Methode
Make the soup: In a saucepan over low heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the leeks and celery, season with salt, and cover the saucepan to keep the moisture inside the pot. Allow the vegetables to “sweat” without turning color for 5 minutes. (to sweat means to cook gently over a low heat) Add the carrots, white turnip, tomato, and green cabbage. Cover the vegetables with 3 cups of stock, then bring the soup to a slow boil with the lid halfway on, until the vegetables are semi-soft. Add the diced potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash and let the soup cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
Make the pesto: Put all ingredients into a food processor, purée, and reserve. The pesto can be made ahead of time and kept frozen until ready to use.
Toast the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cutting on the bias, slice the baguette into 1/4 inch slices. Chop the garlic finely and mix with the olive oil. Using a pastry brush, cover the baguette slices with the mixture, then season them with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Cover each piece of bread with the cheese mixture. Bake until golden brown.
Serve the soup: Add the rest of the cooked ingredients (green beans, mini penne, and black beans) and 4 tablespoons of pesto (1 tablespoon per serving) to the soup and bring to a boil. Serve it piping hot with the crostini across each bowl. If desired, sprinkle each bowl with fresh shredded Parmesan.
"Dinner is Served. Bon Appetit!" — Chef Patrice Olivon
Try Vegetable and Pesto Soup with French Baguette Crostini as an appetizer, then serve Black Olive Crusted Cod as an entrée. Serve Warm Fig Tarts at the conclusion of an autumn meal.
Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 197 Calories; 17g Fat (78.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 1194mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 3 Fat.
From: Dinner is Served, a public television series
© 2009 Fresh TV Creative, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
For more information about Chef Patrice and Dinner is Served,
visit www.chefpatrice.tv