This is a delicious, creamy soup, which goes really well with the crunchy olive pesto. Make sure you get good-quality green olives, such as the Gaeta or Nocellara varieties (these, however, don\u2019t come ready-pitted, so you will have to do this yourself\u00a0 you can easily do it while the soup is cooking). Quick and simple to prepare, this would make a lovely starter when you have guests or, of course, at any time.<\/p>\n
Cooking time:\u00a0<\/strong>25 minutes (not including veg preparation)<\/p>\n Portions:\u00a0<\/strong>serves 2-4<\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ingredients for the pesto:<\/strong><\/p>\n Preparation:<\/strong><\/p>\n Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the shallot, leek, garlic, carrot, fennel and thyme, and sweat for about 4 minutes. Stir in the drained beans and cook for 1 minute to let the flavours infuse. Pour in the stock, increase the heat, and bring to the boil. Now reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Meanwhile, make the pesto. Whiz all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, until well combined but retaining a crunchy texture. Set aside. Transfer the slightly cooled soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Return it to the saucepan and gently reheat, if necessary. Divide between individual bowls and serve with a generous dollop of the olive pesto.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is a delicious, creamy soup, which goes really well with the crunchy olive pesto. Make sure you get good-quality green olives, such as the Gaeta or Nocellara varieties (these, however, don\u2019t come ready-pitted, so you will have to do this yourself\u00a0 you can easily do it while the soup is cooking). Quick and simple…<\/p>\n\n
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