French Soupe au Pistou

Description
From Organic Gardening magazine (1985). A lovely soup made delicious with pesto. Enjoy!



Ingredients

 * 1½ lbs green beans, in 1 inch pieces
 * 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
 * 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
 * 3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
 * 2½ quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock
 * 2 cups cooked large white beans or chickpeas (If using cans, with liquid. If using dry beans use 1 cup dry beans, reserve 2 cups cooking liquid)
 * ½ cup vermicelli or other thin noodles, broken into small pieces
 * 1 cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
 * ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 * ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
 * 2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic

Directions

 * 1) In a heavy pot (about 8-quart size), combine green beans, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and stock.
 * 2) Bring to a boil, then simmer until beans and potatoes are crisp tender.
 * 3) Add the cooked white beans with their cooking water (or liquid from cans) and vermicelli, and simmer until the vermicelli is just tender.
 * 4) Combine the basil, cheese, oil and garlic in a blender or processor, and puree.
 * 5) Stir this paste into the soup, bit by bit.
 * 6) Adjust seasoning if necessary.
 * 7) After the sauce has been added, the soup may be warmed, but not boiled.
 * 8) Serve with hot or toasted slices of french bread.