Vegetable soup with pesto recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 5 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1 to 2 teaspoons white miso
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown rice syrup

• 1 small red onion, diced
• ½ small leek, split lengthwise, rinsed well, and diced
• 3 to 4 fingerling potatoes, diced
• 2 small carrots, diced
• 1 yellow summer squash, diced
• 1 cup cooked cannellini beans (or other white beans)
• 5 cups spring or filtered water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2½ teaspoons white miso
• 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal into ½-inch pieces

To make the Pesto
1. Blanch the basil in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and dry by wrapping it in a kitchen towel. This will help the pesto hold its green color. Combine the blanched basil, olive oil, pine nuts, miso, red wine vinegar, and brown rice syrup in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to create a coarse paste. Set aside.
To make the Soup
2. Layer the onion, leek, potatoes, carrots, and summer squash in a soup pot in the order listed. Top with the beans; add the water and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are quite soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
3. Working in batches, put the soup through a food mill or puree it in a food processor to create a smooth texture. Return the soup to the pot over medium heat. Remove a small amount of liquid and stir in the miso to dissolve it. Stir the miso mixture and green beans into the soup and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, taking care not to boil, as it will destroy the enzymes in miso that aid digestion. Serve hot, with a dollop of pesto in each bowl.