Spring Pea and Leek Soup with Pesto
Spring Pea and Leek Soup with Pesto
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large leeks, cleaned and chopped (yield about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 ½ pounds English peas, shelled
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
For the Pesto
- 2 cups basil leaves, packed and roughly chopped
- 1 large pinch coarse sea salt
- 8-10 grinds black pepper
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 large lemon
Instructions
To Make the Soup
- Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan placed over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until very tender, stirring frequently. This will take 8–10 minutes. Be patient and resist the temptation to turn up the heat.
- Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a strong simmer and remove from heat. Season with 2 large pinches salt and 8–10 grinds of black pepper.
- Purée the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender to make the soup as smooth as possible.
- Serve hot with a large spoonful of pesto (instructions follow) added to each bowl. Serve the pea hummus with crackers alongside as an added treat.
To Make the Pesto
- Place all of the ingredients except the olive oil and lemon juice into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Run until you have a thick paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and lemon juice. The pesto can be made ahead of time and stored, refrigerated for up to 3 days. If keeping for more than 24 hours pour a little olive oil over the surface of the pesto to prevent discoloration.
