Any meal with James Baldwin was bound to be unforgettable, but my first meal in St. Paul-de-Vence, outside under the tall cypress trees at Jimmy’s house, is one that lives in my head, heart, and taste buds more than forty years later. The outdoor dining room centered around what I would later learn he called his welcome table. The summer day boasted the cerulean blue sky of the sort that is produced only in Provence and the air was fragrant with the heady mix of citrus, lavender, and sea that is the region’s hallmark scent. The meal was a Mediterranean classic: soupe au pistou. This soup will always mean Jimmy and Sam and that wondrous week to me.
– Serves four to six –
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large sprig of thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 pound kale, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound string beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup medium elbow pasta shells
Cook the leek, celery, carrot, garlic, and thyme in oil in a 5- or 6-quart heavy pot with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Stir in the kale, zucchini, string beans, pasta, and salt to taste. Simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the thyme and adjust the seasoning.
Remove the soup from the heat, stir in half of the pistou, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve hot with the remaining pistou stirred in as desired.
Pistou
Makes about 2 cups
1 small tomato
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
Core the tomato, then purée it with the basil, parsley, and garlic in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the oil, add the cheese, and blend well.