Green minestrone soup.
Cook the pasta in the soup pot, but remove it while finishing the soup, then cool the soup and add the pasta back in. This allows the pasta to stay al dente instead of absorbing too much liquid. The pesto is good as a marinade for fish and gives a kick to steamed veggies. Add some mayonnaise for a garlicky dip.
Servings: 4
Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced leek, about 1 small, white and light green part only
1 tsp chopped garlic4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup small pasta (such as orecchiette)1/2 cup diced green beans
1/4 cup peeled fresh or frozen fava beans (or use edamame)
3 ounces asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup halved sugar snap peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pesto (makes 1 cup)
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped garlic scapes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat to make the soup. Add leek and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until softened. Turn heat to medium-high, add stock and bring to a boil.
Add pasta and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Remove pasta.Add green beans, fava beans and asparagus pieces. Simmer for 2 minutes or until tender crisp.
Add snap peas and simmer 1 minute longer or until crisp tender. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Return pasta to soup if serving right away, otherwise cool soup, then return pasta.
Place spinach, scapes, Parmesan cheese and lemon rind into a food processor or use a stick blender to make the pesto. Pulse mixture until finely chopped. Pour in olive oil with machine running. Process until mixture is smooth. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve soup and swirl a dollop of pesto on top.