Black Bean Pistou Soup

Black Bean Pistou Soup

2 ¼ cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 gallon of vegetable broth

1 bay leaf
2 large onions, diced
9 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 large basil leaves, julienned for garnish
1 cup green beans, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 small zucchini, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 1 teaspoon cup olive oil
12 large cloves garlic
4 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Place black beans in a large stockpot, and add enough water to cover by 2

      inches.

2.  Cover pot, and set aside at room temperature to soak overnight.
3.  Drain beans, and return to pot.

4.  Cover with 1 gallon of broth.

5.  Add bay leaf, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.

6.  Reduce heat to low, and cook until beans are very tender, for about 2 ½ hours, stirring

     occasionally.

7.  Add water, if needed, or boil soup down until thickened but not dried out.

8.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Heat saucepan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil saute beans for 3 minutes.

10. Add zucchini and red pepper, and saute until beans are tender, about 2 minutes more.

11. Place rest of olive oil, garlic, and basil in blender.

12. Process until smooth, pulsing on and off and stopping to scrape down sides of

      container.

13. Season with salt and pepper.

14. Bring soup to a boil.

15. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
16. Stir three-quarters of vegetables.

17. Ladle into four soup plates.

18. Divide remaining vegetables and basil purée over top of each serving of soup, and garnish with 

      julienned basil.

Pea Pesto Crostini

Pea Pesto Crostini

3

2 cups of fresh peas

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Pulse together in a food processor the peas, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

2. With the machine running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the olive oil and continue to mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. 

3. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

4. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

5. Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan over medium-high.

6. Brush both sides of each of the bread slices with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and grill until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Transfer the bread to a platter and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons pesto on each slice.

8. Top each crostini with 2 tomato halves and serve.

Butternut Squash and Pesto Tarts

Butternut Squash and Pesto Tarts

2

Makes 24 tarts

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

4 cups butternut squash, preferably neck portion, peeled and diced

¼ cup prepared pesto

1 cup of goat cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garnish

Parsley minced as garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Roll each puff pastry sheet out to 12-inch square on lightly floured work surface.

4. Cut out 9 circles from each sheet using 3 ½ inch circle mold.

5. Reroll scraps and cut out 4 to 6 more circles.

6. Place circles on prepared baking sheets.

7. In a small bowl mix the pesto with the goat cheese

8. Spread 2 teaspoons of the pesto mixture on each pastry circle.

9. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of butternut squash, over pesto.

10. Brush with oil, and season with pepper.

11. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until squash is cooked through and pastry is golden.

12. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley; serve.

Black Bean Pistou Soup

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Black Bean Pistou Soup

I could not find a picture when I made this soup. When I googled the soup the closest I could get is the above picture with black and white beans and no vegetables, except some red pepper.  

4 ½ cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed

36 cups water

1 bay leaf

3 large onions, diced

18 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

24 large basil leaves, julienned for garnish

Vegetable Garnish

18 oz. green beans, ends snapped, strung and sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces (about 1 ½ cups)

6 small zucchini, trimmed and diced

1 red pepper, diced

Pistou

1 cup olive oil

12 large cloves garlic

4 ½ cups fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. To prepare beans, place them in large stockpot, and add enough water to cover by 2 inches.

2. Cover pot, and set aside at room temperature to soak overnight.

3. Drain beans, and return to pot.

4. Cover with 36 cups water.

5. Add bay leaf, onion and garlic, and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.

6. Reduce heat to low, and cook until beans are very tender, for about 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

7. Add water, if needed, or boil soup down until thickened but not dried out.

8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. To make vegetable garnish, cover drying rack with paper towels.

10. Heat saucepan of water to boiling, and cook beans for 3 minutes.

11. Add zucchini and red pepper, and cook until beans are tender, about 2 minutes more.

12. Drain, rinse vegetables under cold water and place on rack.

13. To make pistou, place oil, garlic and basil in blender.

14. Process until smooth, pulsing on and off and stopping to scrape down sides of container.

15. Season with salt and pepper.

16. To serve, bring soup to a boil.

17. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.

18. Stir three-quarters of vegetables.

19. Ladle into four soup plates.

20. Divide remaining vegetables and basil purée over top of each serving of soup, and garnish with julienned basil.