Summer Pistou

Ingredients

• 1 tbspcanola oil, or other neutral oil
• 2leeks, finely chopped
• 1courgette, large
• 1 lvegetable stock
• 400 gcannellini beans, three-quarters added to soup, remainder blended for pistou; instructions refer to these as haricot beans
• 200 ggreen beans, trimmed
• 3tomatoes, chopped; half added to soup, half blended for pistou
• 3 clovegarlic, chopped; for pistou
• basil, small pack; for pistou
• 40 gparmesan, grated; stirred into pistou

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the leeks and courgette for 5 minutes until softened.

2. 2

   Pour in the stock, add three-quarters of the cannellini beans, the green beans and half the tomatoes. Simmer for 5–8 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, blend the remaining cannellini beans and tomatoes with the garlic and basil in a food processor (or with a stick blender) until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan to make the pistou sauce.

4. 4

   Stir the pistou into the soup and cook for 1 minute.

5. 5

   Ladle into bowls and serve.