Roasted Tomato Summer Soup Inspired by Soupe au Pistou

Pistou is the French equivalent of pesto, but has no nuts or cheese. The cheese is added either to the soup or scattered over the soup at the end. This soup is only inspired and is not a true pistou, just in case any Provençal are reading this.

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 pound fresh shelling beans such as cranberry (1½-2 cups shelled)

2-3 medium carrots (Rainbow if you have them), clean and cut into ¼ inch dice

1 medium waxy potato cleaned and cut into ¼ inch dice

½ pound haricot vert or string beans, trimmed and cut into 1½ inch lengths

2-3 medium sweet peppers, oiled and grilled just until the skin will come off, but not cooked through, seeded and peeled, and cut into ¼ inch dice

6 San Marzano (or 3-4 medium heirloom tomatoes), oiled and grilled to blister the skin, skin removed where loose, cut into ¼ inch dice, seeds and sloppy tomato bits discarded, all liquid reserved

2-3 medium summer squash, ends removed, a peeler used to add stripes down the length, cut into ¼ inch cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil, fruity and full flavored, as needed

3 sprigs thyme, 1 or 2 bay leaves, stems tied with a longish piece of kitchen string

¼-½ cup pistou (see recipe), or to taste

½ cup or more of finely grated Gruyere, Parmesan, or a combination of both

Olive oil for drizzling

METHOD:

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Then film the pan with olive oil and heat up. Add the onions and a ¼ cup water and stir in. The helps prevent the onions coloring. Cook until translucent and tender, but do not let them color.

Add the carrots and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often to keep the onions from coloring. Add the potatoes, both types of beans, half the peppers and half the tomatoes, and half the squash. Add the herbs on a string, and then add enough hot water to the pan to cover the vegetables by a half-inch. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 1½ hours, stirring frequently to ensure noting is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add water if it is needed.

After 1½ hours add the rest of the tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Cook 15 minutes more, add ½ cup of pistou and stir in well. You can always add more. Retrieve the herbs and discard. Taste the soup and see if you wish to add more pistou. You can pass more pistou at the table for those that want more.

Serve the soup with a drizzle of olive oil on each bowl, and pass the cheese and more pistou on the side.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen