Potato Leek Soup Recipe with Shamrock Pesto Croutons – to celebrate Green Cuisine

March 12, 2012 in Vegetarian Entrees

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Potato Leek Soup with Pesto Croutons – In Shamrock Shapes, of course!

With a name like Kelly, I look forward each year to March 17 – St Patrick’s Day.

Every year, I love to come up with fun and festive ways to get green cuisine onto our family table.

This year it will be pesto croutons floating on potato leek soup. Just use your favorite potato soup recipe, or follow ours below, and then spread some pesto on bread slices cut in shamrock shapes and B’Gosh and B’Gorrah ~ you’ll have instant festive food!

I stole this idea from this month’s Better Homes and Gardens “Food Know-How” section, and it is one of the most fun ideas I’ve seen, St Patty’s wise. Ok, pesto isn’t really Irish. Ok, it isn’t Irish at all. But. Who cares??? It’s St Patty’s Day! At the Kelly compound there will most definitely be silly green costumes, lots of bad amateur River dancing and as many green food ideas as we can conjure up.

Happy Meatless Monday, Everyone!

– posted by Donna

POTATO LEEK SOUP WITH SHAMROCK CROUTONS
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large leek, sliced in ¼ inch half-moon slices
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
4 cups vegetable broth
1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 2 inch chunks
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices thin, firm bread
¼ cup pesto sauce
Saute leeks and mushrooms in oil in a stockpot until tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, cut bread slices into small shamrock shapes with a small cookie cutter, or into squares. Spread a thin layer of pesto on bread pieces and then broil until bread is lightly browned around edges.

Blend soup with a stick blender or in a blender until very smooth. Add in vinegar and salt and pepper.

Serve soup hot with pesto croutons on the side for diners to float on top of their soup.

You might want to add our Irish Potato Bread Rolls to this soup, and make it a whole meal!

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Thanks for sharing!

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