Hearty Potage with Pistou

Earlier I had made a Provencal vegetable soup served with pistou from Ina Garten. This one is a much simpler version which I had bookmarked from Vegetarian Times.I enjoyed it as such and also with pistou which is similar to Italian pesto. Usually potage is category of thick soups and stews with meat and veggies cooked to a mush and the word means "potted dish". If the earlier soup was chunky with pasta and veggies and saffron this one is simple and quick and equally hearty.

Ingredients:
Butter : 2-3 tbsp
Leeks: 2 chopped (white and little green only)
Potatoes: cubed : 1 cup
Carrots: chopped: almost  1 cup

Garlic: 2 small cloves crushed/minced
Thyme: 1 sprig fresh or use dried
Bay Leaf: fresh preferably,I used dried


Veg Broth: 2 cups +
Water: 1 cup + as needed

Salt, Pepper: as per taste

Pistou:
 Fresh Basil
Toasted Walnuts
Garlic: 1 clove
EVOO:
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:

In a heavy pan,melt butter and add chopped leeks and salt.Cover and cook till soft stirring in between. Add garlic and continue for a minute till it releases aroma.Add in 2 tbsp of wine/broth (I used broth) and continue till the liquid has evaporated. Add in chopped potatoes and carrots,thyme,bayleaf salt and pepper to the leeks and mix well. Add in broth and water and bring to boil. Reduce,cover with a lid and let it simmer for about 20-30  minutes or more until the veggies are cooked.

Remove from heal and cool for a while.Puree in  batches if needed. Remove the bayleaf and thyme sprig if fresh herbs were used before pureeing. If thick,add in more broth or water and heat through or serve warm with pistou.

Pistou: Blend together all the ingredients to obtain a thick paste.I went for a coarser paste. Mine was not as greenish as I wanted. But the basil was overpowering in taste which I is the way I prefer and was very hearty. Drizzle on top of the soup and serve rightaway.

The soup was very hearty and comforting. It turned out to be silky smooth and thick and I had to add more water to get it to preferred consistency.It is very hearty by itself and the addition of pistou makes it more flavourful.

This is also my first entry to AWED:France by Priya, an event by DK.