Recipe: Winter Pistou Soup with Spinach-Parsley Pesto

WINTER PISTOU SOUP

1/2 cup elbow macaroni (2 oz.)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large carrot (for about 1/2 cup sliced)
1 large onion (for 1 cup chopped)
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can beef broth, fat removed
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fat-free chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence seasoning blend*
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup frozen green beans
1 (15 oz.) can Great Northern beans, drained
Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Spinach Parsley Pesto** (see recipe)

Bring 5 cups of unsalted water to a boil in a covered 2-quart or larger pot over high heat. When the water reaches a rapid boil, add the pasta and cook 7 minutes (done but still firm).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over low heat.

Peel the carrot and thinly slice it, adding the pieces to the pot as you slice. Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring until the carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, remove any visible fat from the beef broth. Raise the heat to high. Immediately add the beef and chicken broths, the stewed tomatoes, Herbes de Provence seasoning and sugar. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the green beans in a microwave-safe dish and microwave at High, uncovered, for 2 minutes.

When the soup is boiling, add the green beans and Great Northern beans. Let the soup boil, covered, for about 5 more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high if necessary. The macaroni will be just done during this time. Drain it and, in the last minute of soup boiling, add it to the soup pot. Season with black pepper to taste.

Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Spinach Parsley Pesto. Serve at once.

*If you don't have Herbes de Provence seasoning, substitute Italian seasoning blend.

**If the pesto is frozen, unwrap, place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, uncovered, at 50 percent power until defrosted, about 1 minute.

SPINACH-PARSLEY PESTO

2 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley, preferably flat leaf (about 1 cup packed leaves)
2 cups packed already-washed fresh spinach leaves (half a 10- ounce bag)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt

Peel garlic by placing broad side of chef's knife or other flat surface over each clove and giving it a firm whack with your hand. Drop cloves one at a time through a food processor feed tube onto moving blade. Chop finely. Rinse and dry parsley in lettuce spinner or use paper towels. Remove and discard tough stems. Drop leaves through feed tube onto moving blade and mince finely.

If spinach is gritty, rinse and dry using lettuce spinner or paper towels. Remove any tough stems and discard. Add half spinach to processor bowl and drizzle a tablespoon or so of oil through feed tube while processing. Process until finely minced, about 15 seconds. Repeat with remaining spinach, drizzling in another tablespoon or so of oil. Add walnuts and process until well-chopped, about 15 seconds.

Add cheese and salt to bowl and process while drizzling remaining oil through feed tube, about 15 seconds. Serve at once, or refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Makes 11/2 cups.

TO FREEZE PESTO:
Take a muffin tin and line six holes with plastic wrap. Scoop 1/4 cup pesto into each hole. Twist plastic wrap to close it around pesto, secure bundle with a twist-tie, then freeze bundles in muffin tin for 48 hours. Once frozen, remove pouches from tin, drop them into a zipper-top plastic bag and store in freezer.

Servings: 4
Source: Minneapolis Star and Tribune, January 1999