Spring Minestrone with Rocket Pesto
Spring minestrone is made with just a few ingredients and dressed up with a delicious pesto.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Spring Minestrone
- 1 eschalot, peeled and finely sliced I like to use a mandoline
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped finely
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 cup fresh peas, removed from their pods substitute with frozen peas
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed and thinly sliced
- 1 425 g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 L chicken or vegtable stock
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- rocket pesto, to stir in
Rocket Pesto
- 2 cups rocket leaves
- 1 cup Italian parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
Instructions
Spring Minestrone
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the sliced eschalot for 2 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the canellini beans and stock, bring to the boil, then add the peas, sliced asparagus and zucchini and simmer for 3 minutes. Do not overcook. You want the asparagus to have a little crunch.
- Season to taste and add a spoonful of the pesto on top. Serve immediately.
Rocket Pesto
- Mix the rocket and parsley leaves, garlic and olive oil in a large bowl briefly with a handheld blender or in a food processor.
- Add the parmesan cheese and walnuts and blitz briefly again.
- Stir in the vinegar. Season to taste.
- Store in a sealed jar in the fridge. Adding a layer of oil to the top of the pesto will help it maintain its bright green colour.
Notes
This soup is best eaten when it's just been made.
The pesto will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. It is also suitable to freeze.