Serving size: Serves 4
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes

vegetable soup

INGREDIENTS

Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 medium bulb fennel, trimmed and chopped roughly
2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
1 carrot, peeled, trimmed and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled, trimmed and sliced
400g tin diced tomatoes
6 cups vegie or chicken stock
3 bay leaves
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups finely sliced cabbage
1 cup green beans, trimmed and sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pistou
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
1 bunch basil leaves
½ cup grated gruyere cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium to high heat. Add onions, garlic, fennel, celery, carrot and parsnips and cook for 15 minutes until vegetables soften and begin to colour. Increase heat to high and add tomatoes, stock and bay leaves. Simmer rapidly for 10 minutes.

2. Make pistou Meanwhile, place all ingredients (except seasoning) in bowl of food processor or mortar. Pulse to combine. Season to taste.

3. Add cannellini beans, cabbage and French beans to saucepan. Return to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 minutes or until cabbage is soft. Remove bay leaves and ladle into serving bowls. Top with a dollop of pistou and serve with crusty bread.