麻豆社

Spring Pistou soup (serves up to 4 smaller bowls)

This is based on a French classic of Pistou soup but I have added a spring like twist to it by adding in British asparagus and also wild garlic that are bang in season now. Plus adding other herbs to give it that more fresh spring like taste. A very light dish packed with goodness that鈥檚 simple to do and also inexpensive.

Ingredients:-
- A good glug of British cold pressed rapeseed oil or olive oil
- 1 carrot diced into fine chunks
- 1 celery stick sliced finely
- 1 leek sliced finely
- Approximately 10 cherry style tomatoes (I used piccolo ones on the vine)
- 3/4 of a 400g tin of cannellini beans drained and rinsed in cold water
- 3/4 of a gel pot of chicken stock or vegetable if you wish
- Approximately 600ml of water
- A bunch of British asparagus, wooded bottom taken off and for an inch peel off also and chop into 3 chunks.
- A good handful or 2 of frozen British petit pois peas, defrosted and drained
- A small handful of fresh mint and fresh flat leaf parsley chopped finely

- For the Pistou:-
- A good handful of fresh basil
- Two big handfuls of wild garlic leaves
- 2 big glugs of the same oil used ie the rapeseed oil and blend all together into a bright green pesto (Pistou) like paste
(if you can鈥檛 get hold of wild garlic you can use 4 cloves of fresh garlic pur茅ed and could use some basil pesto to bulk it out).

Method:-
- In a large saucepan bring your oil up to a medium heat and add in the celery, carrot and leek and sweat down for a few minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes stiring not to catch anything to burn at all.
- Then add in your chicken stock and water and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes
- Add in your cannellini beans and cook for a further approximately 7-8 minutes
- In the meantime blitz your Pistou together
- Then add your Asparagus and cook for 2 minutes and then add your peas
- Finish with your chopped mint and parsley and drizzle your Pistou. If you do have wild garlic and have some flowers finish on top also . And voila!

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