white bean + tomato soup

one of my good friends, elisabeth, is on a strict gluten free and dairy free diet. when we decided to have dinner together, making soup seemed like the best option. anything that begins with olive oil, garlic & onions is pretty difficult to mess up. I started there, chopped and added the vegetables in the kitchen that seemed to pair well, and came up with a thick, hearty tomato base flecked with thyme, basil and hints of garlic. the result, with a bottle of wine, roasted cauliflower, and friends–made for a pretty great evening.

• 2-3 T. olive oil
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped

heat the oil over medium, then add the garlic & onion and saute till translucent, but not brown, for about 5 minutes. after the five minutes are up,

• 2 12 oz. cans white or navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 summer squash, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 12-16 oz. vegetable broth

season with kosher salt & pepper, dried rosemary, thyme, and basil, and red pepper flakes

cover, reduce to a simmer and let everything cook together for 3o minutes. then use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

herb pistou: combine a handful of fresh herbs with garlic, 2 T. olive oil, and salt and pepper in a food processor.