Here on the central coast we can enjoy some really warm late summer and early fall days that fade into wonderful cool evening that are perfect for light dinner of salad, bread, soup and maybe a glass of our beautiful local wine. And the farmers here can grow anything and everything. So here's a soup that uses the farmer's "best" and satisfies your central coast soul to no end. Feel free to substitute the vegetables with corn from grandma's ranch or anything from your neighbor's over-producing garden. Toast to our good fortune that we live here with a glass of local pinot noir.
Serves 6-8
6 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced onion
2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
12 cups chicken stock, homemade or good quality canned
1 cup white wine
1 pound (8 or 9) fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced or 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained
10 ounces fresh shelled lima or fava beans or 1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans
½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
½ pound yellow wax beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 small yellow crookneck squash, sliced
1 small head (1 pound) savoy cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram or 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
About ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for passing at the table
½ cup basil pesto
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and both bell peppers and sauté over medium-low heat until vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken stock, wine, tomatoes, and lima beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer until the beans are tender.
3. Bring the soup to a boil and add the string beans, zucchini, crookneck squash, and cabbage. Return to a boil, add the herbs. Simmer for 2 more minutes.
4. Place 1 tablespoon of the pesto in the bottom or each soup bowl. Ladle the soup into the bowls and pass the Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over each serving. Now is the time to bend your elbow to your good fortune of living here and to the absolutely delicious soup you just made with a glass of local pinot noir. Man o' man it's good to be here!
