Spring Awakening Minestrone & Dandelion Pesto

At times in my life, I feel as though I am straddling a hiatus. The gravitational pull of past hurt battles the choice to begin again and travel pastures new. Spring acts as a reminder that we can all turn a new page. As nature regenerates, so must we. Plants serve to strengthen our capacity to rise above our own hurt.

Dandelions allow us to connect with our inner courage, releasing pent up anger and emotion. Nettles provide us with the strength to be flexible in our life choices.

Plants possess so much more power than we believe. Nurture them, treat them with respect and let them steer your course through life. This Soup is both restorative and a tonic. Use it to begin your spring reset.

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spring soup, foraged food, nettle soup, healthy recipes, herbal remedies

Yield: 4

Author: Suze Morrison

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Spring Awakening Minestrone & Dandelion Pesto

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 17 MinTotal time: 47 Min

Plants possess so much more power than we believe. Nurture them, treat them with respect and let them steer your course through life. This Soup is both restorative and a tonic. Use it to begin your spring reset.

Ingredients

Soup

• 60ml Olive Oil
• 6 Spring Onions finely sliced.
• 1 Leek finely sliced.
• 1 Bulb fennel finely sliced.
• 2 Cloves Garlic finely chopped.
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds toasted and crushed.
• 1tsp Fennel seeds, toasted and crushed.
• 1.2 Litres Vegetable Stock
• 1tbsp Shiro Miso
• 1tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• Handful Kale, leaves torn, ribs removed.
• 100g Broad Beans, podded.
• 50g Sugar Peas
• 50g Fresh Peas
• 50g Asparagus Spears
• Handful soft garden herbs, torn.
• Handful fresh Dandelion & Nettle leaves, bugs shaken off.
• Cracked Black Pepper to season.

Dandelion Pesto

• 50g Mixed nuts and seeds
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Nutrional Yeast
• 20g Fresh Basil
• 10g fresh Dandelion leaves
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 60-80ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Begin with the pesto. Pulse the nuts and seeds with the garlic in a food processor until chunky. Add the yeast, salt, basil and dandelions and pulse again. Add the lemon juice and, with the motor running on medium, drizzle in the olive oil until you have a spoonable consistency. Taste, adjust with more lemon or salt and set aside.
2. For the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid of a medium heat. Add the leek, fennel and spring onions and reduce the heat to medium low. Add a pinch of salt and gently sweat for 10-12 minutes or until soft and sweet but uncoloured.
3. Add the garlic and increase the heat, sauté for 1 minute before adding the crushed spices. Cook for 30 seconds then add the stock.
4. Bring to a simmer then add the broad beans, kale, sugar peas, asparagus and fresh peas. Cook for 3-4 minutes then remove from the heat. Add 1tbsp of the hot broth to the miso in a cup and whisk to a smooth paste. Add this back to the pot, along with the lemon juice and nettles/ dandelions.
5. Allow to wilt before adding the fresh herbs and cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
6. Ladle into bowls and top with the dandelion pesto before serving.

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/spring-awakening-minestrone-dandelion-pesto