Potato Soup with Pistachio Pesto
By Sally James
Creamy white and morish, this light potato soup could easily be a meal, especially with the protein from the nuts in the pesto. For a “green†change, pistachios have been used rather than pine nuts, adding color and lots of antioxidants.
INGREDIENTS
- buttermilk or skim milk
- chopped fresh basil
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Dried Oregano
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Grated parmesan cheese
- leek
- lemon juice
- non-fat chicken stock
- olive oil
- potatoes
- roasted pistachios
- Salt and 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. This will make more than needed for this recipe – 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.
