French White Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup fennel or 1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup peeled and diced carrot
salt and pepper
1 (14 ounce) can low-sodium tomatoes, pureed ed with their juice
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 (9 ounce) can cannellini, drained and rinsed
GARLIC PESTO
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat.
Add the onion, fennel, carrots, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock, basil, and fennel seeds and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the cannellini and simmer 3 minutes longer until heated through.
Meanwhile, if using the pesto, combine the garlic, basil, parsley, cheese, and oil in a small bowl and with the back of a spoon, mash the mixture into a paste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each one with a dollop of the pesto.