It’s good to know I’m not the only one who likes soup, even in summer. I wasn’t sure if readers would be interested in soup recipes, but earlier this week I shared a recipe for asparagus soup and lots of people commented on it.
One reader asked if it would work with green beans. I’d never tried it before, but that same day a recipe appeared in the Denver Post for Zucchini and Green Bean Soup. In addition to the namesake vegetables, the soup has edamame and pesto for more protein and flavor.
At first pesto might seem like an odd addition, but basil is a perfect match for sauteed zucchini so adding it to soup isn’t such a stretch. I freeze pesto in cubes when I make it in bulk in August, then add it to minestrone in winter and pea soup in summer. In fact, I just made the pea soup last night for a friend and used up nearly the last of last season’s pesto! Now if only my baby basil plants outside would start to grow.
It sounds really yummy. The combination of zucchini and green bean is wonderful. Can’t wait to try it.
Hi!
My sister tipped me off to your website, and I love it! We signed up for our first farmshare this year, after inheriting a friend’s for a couple weeks last summer, and we are really excited. We even got a chest freezer in anticipation! My question is this, I think we are going to be getting a lot of herbs in the first couple of weeks/month. Do you have any way to preserve or store them for later in the year? Or are we better off cooking with them and then storing the food? I pretty much have 1 or 2 go-to cilantro recipes, after that I am at a loss! Thanks for any advice you have!
Hi — I’m so glad you joined a CSA and am ready to help with any questions you have as the produce starts rolling in. For herbs, I tend to make pesto and freeze it in ice-cube trays for use throughout the year. It’s great with pasta, of course, but also in other things like soups or spread on sandwiches. When I say pesto, I’m thinking beyond the traditional basil variety. You can use the technique with other herbs (parsley, mint, cilantro, etc.) as well as arugula. I don’t have a dehydrator but I know people who use one to preserve herbs, so that’s a thought, too.