Nestled in the heart of the Luberon, on the heights of Gordes in Joucas, Xavier MATHIEU's Table, a Michelin-starred gastronomic mecca, combines conviviality and the art of living. Constantly on the lookout for the best, Xavier MATHIEU subtly draws his inspiration from the recipes of his terroir and gives a second wind to the Provençal tradition, which he reinterprets with elegance and creativity according to the markets.
On the occasion of the 2023 holiday season, chef Xavier MATHIEU gave us, for the attention of our customers and partner, the secrets of his famous "Pistou Soup". Discover this restaurant, in the privileged setting of a luxurious five-star "Relais & Châteaux" country house, built on remains dating back to the Knights of the Order of Malta, "Le Phebus & Spa".
Pistou Soup – Recipe for 6 to 8 people
Ingredients:
Tomato Water
- 5 KG TOMATOES
- 7 CARROTS
- 5 ONIONS
- 1 STALK OF CELERY
- 2 LEEKS
Pesto
- 500 GR BLANCHED BASIL
- 280GR + 80GR OLIVE OIL
- 80GR PARMESAN CHEESE (OPTIONAL)
- 2 GARLIC CLOVES
- 4 ICE CUBES
Soup topping
- CHERRY TOMATOES
- MEDIUM DELICACY DTD
- 250 GR GREEN BEANS
- 100 G COCONUT BEANS
- 100 GR BALL PASTA
Garlic puree
- 5 PIECES WHOLE GARLIC HEADS
- OLIVE OIL
- SALT
Recipe
Blend the tomatoes and strain through a sieve.
Pour the tomato juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the juice starts to boil, strain it through a sieve, this time with a coffee filter, to obtain a clear tomato water. Cool immediately and keep refrigerated. In a non-stick frying pan, sauté all the vegetables in the filling, adding as little oil as possible. Bring the tomato water to 90°c and add the toasted aromatic garnish.
Store in the fridge for 18 hours.
Blend the blanched basil with the first part of olive oil and an ice cube. Then add the Parmesan cheese and garlic and blend until you get a paste-like consistency. For a totally plant-based recipe, don't use Parmesan cheese. Now add two more ice cubes and blend, adding the oil a little at a time. Season with salt and discard.
Peel the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Cook the potatoes delicately in the tomato water, moistening a little at a time, then cut them into 5mm thick slices. Remove the stems from the green beans and cut them into pieces about 2.5cm long, cook them in tomato water in small quantities and cook like a risotto. Shell the white beans and cook them in the tomato water, previously prepared. Cook the pasta with a dry start, in tomato water (3 tablespoons are enough) and cook gently.
Cut off the top end of the garlic heads, place them on a baking tray lined with coarse salt, then bake them in the oven at 150°C for 40min. Once cooked, peel the garlic cloves and crush them with a sieve. Season the puree with salt and olive oil and refrigerate.
This soup can be enjoyed hot or cold.
To plate up, combine the beans, pasta, tomatoes and pistou. Add a little tomato juice and arrange harmoniously.
A word from Chef Xavier Mathieu:
"Water today is precious and essential to life. The idea is to cook the vegetables in the minimum amount of water, if possible using tomato water which will be naturally salty and slightly sweet so that the food does not dry out and retains its nutritional values. Cooking food in hot water does not require boiling the water. Cooking will take place between 80 and 90 degrees, between 90 and 100 degrees, the water does not boil faster and this generates evaporation that will take with it the taste and nutritional qualities of the food. The room will be perfumed but nothing will be kept on the plate. "