Recipe: Yellow courgette and Butterbean Soup with Red Pesto

This is a dish which I made from some of the lovely yellow courgettes i brought back with me from France, and a jar of red pesto I had in the cupboard that I think was part of a hamper that I won a while back. I cant believe that i havent got any of my own courgettes this year yet, the weather has been so terrible! Normally by now i'd be drowning in kilos and kilos of them! I've just got to hope for a late frost this year so i can get a good enough crop. "Red" pesto means usually that it is a pesto made of a mixture of tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and red peppers, but if you cant find any then just use sundried tomato pesto. Also of course, normal green courgettes can be used in this recipe instead of yellow.

Yellow Courgette and Butterbean Soup with Red Pesto (serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil
Knob of butter
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 litres vegetable stock
1 fresh (or 2 dried) bay leaves
1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
100g red pesto
300g (about 1 large) yellow courgette, diced finely
300g frozen peas
Large handful fresh parsley, chopped
Large handful fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil

1. Fry the onions and garlic in the butter and olive oil for 10 minutes on a low heat, until soft. Add the veg stock and bay leaf and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the butterbeans, courgette and pesto and cook for a further 10 minutes.
3. Add the peas and herbs and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve with some shredded fresh basil, grated parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.