Potato Soup with Pistachio Pesto
By Sally James. Presentation is half the fun in cooking and half the appeal in eating! Our eyes often dictate whether we’ll enjoy a dish. The vibrant green, brought by adding the pistachios to the pesto, rather than traditional pine nuts makes a delightful contrast and earthy slightly sweet flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- ⅓ cup roasted pistachios, plus 1/4 cup extra
- 1 tbsp lemon, juice
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek, cleaned and white part sliced
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cup chicken stock, non-fat
- 1 tsp oregano leaves
- ¼ cup buttermilk, or skim milk
- salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- To make the Pesto, place all of the ingredients except the oil in a blender and process to a coarse paste, scraping down sides.
Add the oil in a stream until the mixture reaches desired consistency, then fold in the cheese. Set aside. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 1-2 days to use with pasta or over chicken or seafood.
- To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add leek. Cook on medium heat until leek starts to soften, but not brown.
- Add the potatoes, stock and oregano and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Puree soup in blender, adding milk and seasoning to taste.
- Return to saucepan to reheat. Spoon soup into bowls, top with the pesto, and give a light swirl with a spoon. Scatter with a few of the extra pistachios.