Green Minestrone for a Summertime Cold

Wanna know what's worse than sweating in 90 degree weather.......??
Sweating in 90 degree weather because you have a fever and feel like death.

UGH!

Summertime colds are the very worst time. They are way worse than winter colds because at least when you have a winter cold you can wear sweatpants.

In front of me I have two glasses of OJ because one is obviously not enough, 5 dogs piled on my lap, 97 or so crumpled up tissues, a scary movie playing on netflix because only scary movies are appropriate for me to watch in my current state of horror, and one Bon Appetite Magazine from which I found the recipe for my only reason for surviving today...

Green Minestrone. 

It is soup for summertime colds and it is delicious. Like, really, really delicious. It is quick to make, so you don't have to have the stove top on all day long. And it is packed with bright, seasonal produce and herbs!


Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups veggie broth or chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin
1 1/2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 shallot finely chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved parmesan to serve, optional

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the leeks, onion, fennel, and celery until softened, but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the broth and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10- 15 minutes.

Add the carrots and the peas and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While soup is cooking, process the parsley and the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor to a course paste and transfer to a small bowl. Mix the shopped shallot into the parsley paste.

Serve the soup topped with the parsley pesto, thinly sliced red onion, and shaved parmesan.