Basque Pumpkin and White Bean Soup

[Guest guest]

My children have a wonderful piano teacher! Not only is she a great teacher,

she is a lovely example of hospitality. Last week at lessons her house smelled

SO wonderful! She had a kettle of Basque Pumpkin and White Bean Soup cooking in

the kitchen. This is her recipe. . .she shared it with me and now I'm passing

it along to you! LaDonna

 

Basque Pumpkin and White Bean Soup

Source: My friend, Renee

 

Stock:

Seeds and parings from a 1 # pumpkin or winter squash

1 ½ cups leek greens, chopped and washed

5 parsley branches

4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

½ teaspoon salt

6 cups cold water

 

Cut the pumpkin in half; scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. Cut the

halves into slices an inch or so thick, and cut the skins off. Put the

seeds and parings in a pot with the rest of the stock ingredients (save the

pumpkin slices for later), bring to a boil, simmer for 30 minutes and then

strain.

 

The Beans:

½ cup small white beans

3 fresh sage leaves or ½ teaspoon dried sage

1 large clove garlic, peeled and left whole

1 bay leaf

2 thyme branches

½ teaspoon salt (I waited to add until beans were soft)

5-6 cups water

 

Cover the beans with water and soak overnight or.. Pour off the soaking

water and put the beans in a pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring

them to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, lower the

heat, and cook the beans at a slow boil until they are tender. Drain the

beans and reserve the cooking water.

 

The Vegetables:

Peeled and seeded pumpkin (from the stock) cut into ½ inch squares

2 T. virgin olive oil

3 leeks, white parts only, quartered and cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 celery heart or 2 outer stalks, cut into ¼ inch dice

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1-2 t. nutritional yeast (optional)

2 large sage leaves or ¼ t. dried sage, crumbled

½ t salt

Stock

Reserved cooking water from the beans

Pepper

2 T. parsley, chopped

Additional olive oil, for garnish

 

Warm the oil in a soup pot and add the pumpkin, vegetables, garlic, yeast if

using, sage and salt. Stir to coat everything with a film of oil, and cook

over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the

stock and the cooking water from the beans, about 8 cups in all. Bring to a

boil; then lower the heat and simmer for about ½ hour, until the pumpkin

begins to soften and fall apart.

 

Add the beans, and continue cooking until the pumpkin has broken into a

smooth puree.

 

Taste for salt and season with more if needed and a generous grinding of

black pepper. Serve the soup with the parsley and a small spoonful of olive

oil stirred into each bowl. Even better after sitting a day.

 

 

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