Pistou Soup

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

· 1 litre vegetable stock (recipe below)

· 100g pistou (recipe below)

· 100g courgettes, diced

· 75g green beans, sliced 1cm thick

· 50g tomatoes, peeled, diced and deseeded

· 100g haricot beans

· 100g orzo pasta

· 50g asparagus

For the vegetable stock – 1 litre:

· 50g herbs, any dark herbs are good including tarragon, chives, thyme and parsley

· 2 heads fennel, sliced

· 2 onions, sliced

· 1 leek, sliced

· ½ head celery, sliced

· 1 bulb garlic, chopped

· 1 tsp fennel seeds

· 1 star anise

· 1 tsp coriander seeds

For the Pistou – 100g:

· 1 bunch basil

· 50g parmesan

· 5 cloves garlic, peeled

· 50ml olive oil

Read more: Chef Niall McKenna on his first cookbook and his plans for a new Belfast restaurant - plus recipes from What’s It All About?

Method

· Firstly, to make the pistou, place the basil, garlic and parmesan in a blender and pulse, adding the oil to make a paste until smooth.

· To make the stock, start by toasting the spices in a dry pot. Then, add the vegetables and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Next, remove from the heat, cover with cling film and leave to cool. Place in fridge overnight for maximum flavour.

· To make the soup, strain the stock through a sieve, squeezing all the juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Next, add the orzo pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until soft. Now, add the courgettes and once cooked through, add the beans, asparagus, haricot beans and tomatoes, cook for a further two minutes.

· Place in a bowl and serve with the pistou on the side.