Chef Gary O'Hanlon joins Ciara with this week's simple recipe - Pistou Soup   

Serves 6-8 

8 large heirloom tomatoes, blanched, skinned, de-seeded and cut into concasse (small dice)  

80g broad beans, blanched and shelled 

Olive oil (drizzle)  

1 white onion, chopped fine 

1 leek white, washed and sliced thin 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

2 small carrots, peeled and diced 

1 small courgette, diced 

3 small potatoes, peeled, washed and cubed 

1.2lt chicken stock 

400g tin haricot beans (white beans)  

70g green beans, blanched and diced 

100g linguine or spaghetti (dragged over the edge of a table in a tea-towel) 

80g frozen peas  

250g bacon lardons (rendered in a frying pan and left to drain on kitchen paper)  

sea salt and pepper to taste    

Pistou 

70g basil leaves 

2 garlic cloves, peeled 

80g aged parmesan 

100-110ml olive oil    

Method 

For the Pistou 

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend 

Season to taste    

Soup 

Add bacon to a cold frying pan and fry gently until crisp, set aside on kitchen paper 

Heat a pot and add in a drizzle of olive oil. 

Add in the garlic and onions, season and sweat, stirring every 20 seconds 

Now add in the leek, carrot and potatoes, sauté without colour 

Adjust seasoning and add in the tomatoes. 

Now cover with chicken stock and bring to the boil  

Add in the pasta, white beans and courgettes 

Simmer until the pasta and veg is cooked through. 

Now add in the lardons, broad beans, green beans, peas & haricot beans and bring back to the boil. 

Adjust seasoning  

To serve, fill a soup bowl and top with a tablespoon of Pistou. 

Listen and subscribe to Lunchtime Live on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

    

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.