![Southern Living Soupe au Pistou](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.southernliving.com/thmb/EJcvQe_uv6l5UULMYjOzeXVAK_s=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/27579_WT_soupe_200-1-d383a561d4094860bedb5c53dd277f33.jpg)
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
There are several Souths in my life: South Jamaica, New York, where I was born; the American South, where I write and research; and the South of France. Whenever the latter comes to mind, I always think of writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin and my first meal at his house in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, an ancient village that became a haven for artists.
When I spent a week at his home in the 1970s, I was in my twenties, a terribly naive young guest of a friend and way out of my depth in the stellar crowd that I met there. I recall dropping my suitcase in my appointed bedroom and heading out for lunch at a place under tall cypress trees. Baldwin called this alfresco dining spot his "Welcome Table" in reference to the traditional spiritual.
The first meal I had at Baldwin’s house was simple: loaves of crusty French bread, a wine from the region, and a tureen filled with a hearty soupe au pistou. Baldwin ate, chatted, and then vanished. I was too nervous to properly appreciate the light yet filling vegetable soup that seemed like a French garden in a bowl, but it has remained in my memory all these years.
I would later learn that soupe au pistou is a true Provençal specialty that is thought to date back to the 18th century. It may have originated in Italy and is clearly a close cousin of that country’s minestrone. Prepared with pasta and a potager’s worth of fresh vegetables, it’s an ideal dish for springtime and late summer in the American South, when carrots, potatoes, and fava beans make their appearance at farmers' markets. It is finished with a slurry of garlic, basil, and olive oil that is called a Provençal pistou—a simpler take on Italy’s pesto. As it doesn’t have the pine nuts (or other nuts) found in the Italian kind, it’s the perfect sauce for those with nut allergies. Some versions, like this one, also include a grated hard cheese such as Parmesan—I always save some to sprinkle over each bowl at the table.
When served with a crusty baguette and a chilled Provençal rosé, it is a delicious introduction to the simple, hearty food of this region. You’ll have to sample it without the incandescence of Baldwin himself, but you, too, will become a fan of the satisfying, uncomplicated dish that he appreciated.
Ingredients
Pistou:
-
1 small tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
-
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
-
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
-
2 garlic cloves, smashed
-
1/2 cup olive oil
-
1 oz. Parmesan cheese or Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup), plus more for garnish
-
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Soup:
-
2 Tbsp. olive oil
-
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
-
1 medium celery stalk, chopped (1/3 cup)
-
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped (2/3 cup)
-
1 (5-inch) thyme sprig
-
1/4 tsp. black pepper
-
2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
-
8 cups water
-
1 large Yukon Gold potato, unpeeled and cut into bite-size pieces (1 1/2 cups)
-
2 large bunches Lacinato kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (8 cups)
-
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into bite-size pieces (1 2/3 cups)
-
1/2 lb. fresh fava beans, shelled (about 1 cup, from 2 lb. pods)
-
3/4 cup uncooked small pasta shells
Directions
-
Prepare the Pistou:
Pulse tomato, basil, parsley, and garlic in a food processor until chopped, about 5 pulses, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. With processor running, gradually pour oil through food chute until tomato mixture is finely chopped and creamy, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in cheese and salt. Set aside until ready to use.
-
Prepare the Soup:
Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or large Dutch oven over medium. Add leek, celery, carrot, thyme, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leek starts to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.
-
Add 8 cups water and potato, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pot. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, undisturbed, until potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add kale, zucchini, fava beans, and pasta. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Boil, stirring occasionally, until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
-
Remove pot from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Pistou and remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Garnish Soup with grated cheese, and serve with remaining Pistou for topping.