The Corner Plot's Cannellini Bean Soup with Crunchy Croutons and Punchy Pesto
Ingredients
3 tbsp Biona Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 red onion, peeled and cubed
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, sliced
2 carrots, cubed
2 sticks of celery, cubed
2 medium waxy potatoes, cubed
1 courgette, cubed
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
200g cavolo nero, leaves stripped and sliced
1l vegetable stock
2 x 400g Biona Cannellini Beans, drained
Basil pesto
80g basil leaves
50g pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, crushed
50g vegan cheese or 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
100ml Biona Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic croutons
2 slices of sourdough, cubed
1 garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of chilli flakes
Pinch of oregano
3 tbsp Biona Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method
1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, leeks, carrot and celery. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes, until the veggies soften.
2. Add the potatoes, courgette, tomatoes, oregano, chilli flakes and cavolo nero, and pour in the vegetable stock. Simmer for 10 mins before adding the cannellini beans. Simmer for 5 mins, taste and adjust the seasoning, and add a little water if necessary.
3. Blitz the pesto ingredients in a blender. Season to taste.
4. Sauté the sourdough croutons in the olive oil with the garlic, chilli and oregano, and season.
5. Stir half of the pesto through the soup, and serve with the remaining pesto and the croutons. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.