Inspired by Ottolenghi´s courgette, pea and basil soup, this #homemadeMonday recipe is a soup just perfect for the incoming autumn (yes, I refer to it as incoming as I still spend my weekends at the beach for the time being and am in denial). While Ottolenghi´s recipe contains double the basil of mine, I added a few teaspoons of pesto to enhance the taste, a green onion to give it a punch and I topped it up with some truffle oil. Oh, and I changed the proportions quite a bit. Keep reading for my interpretation of what is possibly one of my favourite green soups of all time (in case you, reader are Portuguese – don´t worry, caldo verde is up in the top too).
Ingredients
(serves four)
three zucchinis
one green onion
250g of peas from a can
25g of fresh basil
four tsp of pesto
five cloves of garlic
two tbsp olive oil
two tsp salt
two tsp pepper
two veggie Knorr cubes
a tsp lemon zest
100g feta cheese
truffle oil to serve
Instructions
1. Peel the zucchinis and cut them in about 1cm slices while you´re frying the peeled garlic cloves for three minutes in a large pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the zucchinis to the pan and season with the salt and pepper, frying for about five minutes or until they soften a little bit. Next, add the chopped green onion and fry for another two minutes.
3. Transfer the fried veggies to a larger pot along with a tablespoon of olive oil, fry for another two minutes on medium heat and then add a litre of boiling water, along with the Knorr cubes.
4. Boil for ten minutes, then add the peas, the basil leaves and the pesto, and let boil for another minute.
5. Remove from the heat and blend with a vertical blender.
6. When serving, sprinkle some feta cheese on top, add some lemon zest and drizzle with truffle oil.
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