Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou

Name: Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 sprig rosemary; 3 bushy sprigs thyme; 4 parsley sprigs; 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash or half of each for color, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth; 1 pound fresh shell beans like cranberry or cannelloni, shelled about 1 ½ cups; 4 plum tomatoes about ¾ pound, diced; ½ cup thinly sliced green beans; 4 cups fresh basil, packed; ⅓ cup slivered almonds; ¼ cup chopped plum tomato; ⅔ cup grated Parmesan; 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

By Melissa Clark

Published September 28, 2010

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Media 1 of 1

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(88)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: With Vegetables Aplenty, Put Some Soup on the Stove

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

FOR THE SOUP

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
3 bushy sprigs thyme
4 parsley sprigs
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash or half of each for color, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 pound fresh shell beans like cranberry or cannelloni, shelled about 1 ½ cups
4 plum tomatoes about ¾ pound, diced
½ cup thinly sliced green beans

FOR THE PISTOU

4 cups fresh basil, packed
⅓ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup chopped plum tomato
⅔ cup grated Parmesan
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

FOR THE SOUP
1. Step 1
  In a large pot over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Tie rosemary, thyme and parsley in a bundle with kitchen string if desired (this makes it easier to fish out later). Add the herbs, leeks, garlic, zucchini or yellow squash, carrot, salt and pepper to the pot and sauté until the vegetables are golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Step 2
  Add broth, shell beans, tomatoes, green beans and 4 cups water to the pot. Simmer partly covered until the beans are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Discard herbs. Thin with a little water if the soup is too thick.
3. Step 3
  Prepare the pistou: Pulse the basil, almonds, tomato, Parmesan, garlic and salt in a food processor until basil is chopped and all the ingredients are combined. Drizzle in olive oil while the motor runs and continue processing until a paste forms. Serve the soup with dollops of the pistou, letting people add more as needed.

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