No, this is Brisbane. September is a time for hailstorms, dive-bombing magpie attacks and a return to heat and humidity. The three-month Cold season is over; the nine month Hot has begun.

On the bright side, the herb garden is beginning to recover from the last few months of cold (and neglect). I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to involve most of it in this brilliant green, tasty vegetable soup. Soupe au pistou is something I’d wanted to cook for years, but had never got around to.  It turns out it’s ridiculously easy. It’s basically a garlicky, herby Provençal summer soup. Pistou is the Provençal version of pesto.

Soupe au pistou. Serves four.

Use any summer vegetables you feel like. The following list is my suggestion; alter quantities as you see fit.

For the soup:

• 1 ½ cups mixed, dried beans, or a 400g tin of mixed beans.
• 1L chicken stock (or faux chicken stock, if you’re vegetarian/veganly inclined)
• a sprig of rosemary
• a few small potatoes
• a carrot
• a large handful of green French beans, sugar-snap peas or snake beans
• 2 courgettes
• half a small head of broccoli
• bread, to serve

For the pistou:

• 80ml good quality extra-virgin olive oil
• a few handfuls each of fresh basil, continental parsley and chives
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

Soak the dried beans overnight, or at least for a few hours before you begin cooking. Drain and rinse. Add stock, rosemary and dried beans to a large pot and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour or so, until the beans are almost tender. Chop the vegetables into rough 2- or 3cm cubes. When the beans have softened in the stock, add potato and carrot and continue to simmer.

Prepare the pistou by washing and plucking the herbs, and blending in a food processor with the olive oil and garlic until they form a smooth, bright green puree.

By now, the potato and carrot should be just about soft enough to eat, so add the remaining vegetables. Continue to cook over a medium flame until the fresh vegetables are al dente – probably around four or five minutes. Remove from heat, stir through pistou and serve with warm, crusty bread.

Buttermilk scones

Makes about eight medium sized scones.

• 2 cups plain flour
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 40g butter, cubed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup water
• jam and whipped cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Sift together flour, sugar and baking soda. Add butter, rubbing into mixture with fingertips until crumbly consistency. Add buttermilk and water, and stir until just combined. Spoon onto a greased tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm and just crisp on the outside. Serve with whipped Irish cream and strawberry jam.

I would have taken photos, but we ate them too quickly.