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.
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    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

    1. To make the Pesto, place all of the ingredients except the oil in a blender and process to a coarse paste, scraping down sides.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Add the potatoes, stock and oregano and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes
    5. Puree soup in blender, adding milk and seasoning to taste.
    6. 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.