[Vegan Provençal Vegetable Soup with Garlic, Basil and Herbs]
I was in the mood for a nice warm bowl of soup...even though Julia says that this soup is traditionally made at the beginning of summer...
...and this is the only soup recipe left...
...start by dicing up some carrots, potatoes and onions...
...and cook that for 40 minutes...I know...Julia's cook times always seem a bit long...
...while it's cooking get out some stale bread and tear it up...break up some vermicelli and get some frozen (or fresh) green beans...
...and some garlic for the Pistou...
...then make the Pistou...I read the recipe and saw blend...so I blended the tomato with my stick blender...then later I saw that you were actually supposed to blend this up in the bottom of the tureen with a wooden spoon...so my Pistou is probably smoother than it should be...
...add some basil...a lot...and fresh would be better I'm sure...but Julia gives amounts for dried fragrant basil as well...
...and some vegan parmesan...
...and olive oil beat in by drops...
...add your bread and spaghetti to the soup...along with the green beans...
...add some saffron...
...just a pinch...
...then add the white beans...these are just great northerns cooked in the Instant Pot...
...then make the croutons...toast a few slices of bread...we used whole wheat for this garniture...and rub with a garlic...
...and brush with Olive Oil...
...Julia specifies rounds of bread...so I used a tin can to cut circles...
...since I hadn't blended my Pistou in the bottom of the serving bowl...I poured it into the bottom...
...and then you add a cup of the finished soup...
...and stir that in...
...and then add the rest of the soup...
...ladle into a bowl...
...and top with a crouton...
...it was really pretty...and smelled wonderfully...
...it was a perfect winter soup even so...hearty warm and filling...I would definitely make it again...
Substitutions:
Vegan Parmesan...this recipe was almost vegan already...
Mastering the Art of French Cooking (p. 45)
