Provencal Bean Soup Recipes

PROVENCAL HAM & BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and sort beans; soak according to package directions. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. , Transfer beans to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add tomatoes; crush with a wooden spoon until chunky. Stir in ham, vegetables, garlic, seasonings and stock. Cook, covered, on low 7-9 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with bread.

PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the onions, and saute over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and saffron, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the haricots verts and spaghetti, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 more minutes.
• To serve, whisk 1/4 cup of the pistou into the hot soup, then season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your chicken stock, you may need to add up to another tablespoon of salt. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and more pistou.
• Pistou:
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 24 large basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• Place the garlic, tomato paste, basil, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube to make a paste. Pack into a container, pour a film of olive oil on top, and close the lid.
• Yield: 1 cup

PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SOUP: SOUPE AU PISTOU

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute just until they start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute about 1 minute more. Add the carrots and celery and continue sauteing until the vegetables deepen in color but have not yet begun to brown, 3 to 4 minutes more. Pour the stock into the pan, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt.
• Tie the peppercorns, thyme, and parsley in a square of cheesecloth, securing it with kitchen string. Add this bouquet garni to the pan. Stir in the beans, zucchini, summer squash, and tomato. Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the Pistou: Put the garlic and tomatoes in a blender or food processor with about 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Begin processing. With the machine running, add the basil leaves, and then pour in enough extra-virgin olive oil to make a smooth, thick, but fluid paste. Transfer about 2/3 of the paste into a serving bowl to pass alongside the soup.
• Make the Goat Cheese Croutons: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the bread slices with olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and turn on the broiler. Spread 1 side of each crouton with goat cheese and put it back on the baking sheet. Broil until the cheese is warm and slightly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• When the soup is ready, stir the remaining pistou into the saucepan, ladling some of the hot broth into the blender or processor bowl to swirl and rinse any pesto clinging inside into the pan. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt.
• Ladle the soup into individual heated serving bowls. Float a crouton in the center of each bowl. With a spoon, drizzle a little more pistou over the crouton and soup in each bowl. Serve immediately, passing more pistou alongside for each person to add, to taste.

PRESSURE-COOKER PROVENCAL HAM & BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and sort beans; soak according to package directions. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. , Transfer beans to a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker. Add tomatoes; crush with a wooden spoon until chunky. Stir in ham, vegetables, garlic, seasonings and stock. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure. Serve with bread.

PROVENçAL VEGETABLE SOUP WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Prepare the beans: Put the beans and 5 cups water in a saucepan over high heat. Add onion stuck with clove, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt and olive oil. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Leave beans to cool in their own broth. (May be cooked several hours or up to 1 day in advance.)
• Make the soup: Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring until softened and barely browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add potato and 2 cups water to soup pot. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Add cooked shell beans and bean broth and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, working in batches in a separate pot, blanch Romano beans, wax beans and zucchini in salted water for 1 minute. Spread out to cool on a baking sheet.
• Make the pistou: Put basil, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and pulse to a rough paste. (Alternatively, pound basil and garlic in a stone mortar and stir in oil and cheese.) Stir in about 1/2 cup grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. (Makes about 3/4 cup.)
• To serve, add blanched vegetables to soup pot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle into bowls and add about 2 tablespoons pistou to the center of each bowl. Pass extra grated cheese at the table.

PROVENCAL FRENCH BEANS

Steps:

• Place the beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak in the refrigerator overnight.
• Drain the beans, place in a large saucepan with the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving the stock.
• In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil, then add the onions, diced carrots, and celery, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add the parsley, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beans and 2 cups of the cooking stock. (If you dont have enough liquid, add additional stock or water to make 2 cups.) Cook for 15 minutes until the stock makes a little sauce, adding more stock if necessary. Finish with the Parmesan cheese. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley.

PROVENCAL WHITE BEAN SOUP SOUTH BEACH

Steps:

• In a large saucepan,heat oil over medium high heat.
• Add onion, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, thyme and salt, reduce heat to medium low and cook, stir occasionally, 15 minutes or till veggies are softened.
• Add beans and stir to combine.
• Transfer 3/4 of the bean mixture to blender, using large spoon.
• Add both and puree until smooth.
• Return mixture to the saucepan, stir to combine, and bring to simmer just to heat through.
• Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve warm.

PROVENCAL BEAN SOUP (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Put everything into crockpot and cook on low 8 hours.

QUICK AND EASY WHITE BEAN SOUP PROVENCAL

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large pot, add olive oil and heat over medium heat.
• Add onions, zucchini, eggplant and garlic. Sauté for several minutes to soften onions, stirring often.
• When the onions become translucent, add all of the rest of the ingredients. Add enough vegetable broth and/or water to cover ingredients.
• Bring the soup up to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or so until the eggplant is tender. Stir the soup every few minutes or so during the simmering time.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a nice hearty crusty bread.

PROVENCAL BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• 1 Put everything into crockpot and cook on low 8 hours.

PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Place navy beans in a large bowl andadd water to cover. Let soak overnight inthe refrigerator.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water. Sliceleeks into 1/4-inch rounds; add to water.Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift leeks out ofwater and drain in a colander. Set aside.
• In a medium, heavy-bottomed stockpot,heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Addleeks and garlic; sauté until translucent,stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.Add parsley, rosemary, thyme, carrots,potatoes, and pepper. Cover and cook,stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes;lower heat if mixture browns.
• Drain beans, discarding soaking liquid.Add beans and stock to vegetables. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low;cook until beans are tender, about 40minutes. About 10 minutes before thebeans are done, add salt.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. SprinkleGruyere over bread. Place on a cookiesheet; toast until cheese is melted andgolden, about 10 minutes.
• . Add spinach to soup; cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Divide soup among bowls andserve immediately, garnished with chervil,if desired, and Gruyere toast.

WHITE BEAN SOUP PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Make pesto. Process everything in a food processor or blender until combined. Set aside.
• For the soup, combine all of the ingredients except tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, pepper and pesto in a slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low until beans are tender; 7-8 hours.
• Add lemon juice and tomatoes during last 30 minutes of cooking time.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of mixed herb pesto into each bowl of soup.