Soupe Au Pistou with 13 Vegetables

1 c Small dried white beans

(Great Northern) -- soaked Overnight in Cold Water 1 md Yellow onion -- peeled,

Cut In Half And Stuck With 2 Cloves 1 Bay leaf

4 ts Salt

1 tb Olive oil

3 md Red onions -- diced

1/2 ts Pepper -- freshly ground

3 Cloves garlic -- minced

2 Leeks -- white and light

Green Parts Only, Washed And Sliced Th 2 Ribs celery -- sliced thin

2 Carrots -- peeled,

Halved lengthwise -- and Sliced thin 2 Purple turnips -- peeled,

Cut into small wedges 1/2 c White wine

1 Bay leaf

Bouquet Garni: 3 Sprigs thyme

1 Sprig rosemary

Parsley (small amount) Tied together 6 c Vegetable Stock(Or 8 Cups)

Or Chicken stock OR Water 1 c Small pasta such as tubetti

1 sm Bulb fennel -- cored,

Cut In Half Lengthwi And Sliced Thin 1 md Zucchini -- cut in half

Lengthwise Sliced 1/2" Thick 2 sm Yellow squash -- Sliced 1/2"

Thick 2 Ripe tomatoes(or 3) -- Cored

Chunked 1 c Baby Peas (Fresh Or Frozen)

2 c Spinach leaves -- washed

And Cut into wide strips 1/2 bn Parsley -- washed, picked

And chopped (about 1/2 cup) Drain and rinse white beans. Place in medium saucepan with enough water to cover by an inch. Add onion halves (with cloves) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered very gently 1/2 hour. Skim any foam that has accumulated on the surface. Add water to just cover beans if necessary. Add 2 teaspoons salt and continue to cook 1530 minutes until beans are creamy inside but still intact. Remove bay leaf and onion halves, and set beans aside in their cooking liquid until needed. In the meantime, heat olive oil in large kettle or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, season with remaining salt and pepper, and cook 58 minutes until softened. Add garlic, stir, cook 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add leeks, celery, carrots, turnips and sweat 5 minutes. Add wine, bay leaf, bouquet garni and simmer until wine is reduced by half. Add stock or water and bring to the simmer. Add pasta and cook until pasta is almost al dente. Add fennel, zucchini and squash, the cooked white beans and their cooking liquid, and cookfive minutes; add tomatoes and cook two more minutes. Finally, add peas and spinach and cook 1 minute, until peas are tender. Add parsley, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove bay leaf and bouquet garni. Serve with a dollop of pistou swirled TV FOOD NETWORK, G.P., All Rights Reserved 10/21/96 show Recipe By : TOO HOT TAMALES SHOW #TH -----