8-10 larger carrots, scrubbed and chopped into 2” rounds
2 strips of orange rind
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped pistachios for garnish
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
The Prep
Drizzle some olive oil in a pot and add the onions and garlic with a generous pinch of salt. Saute over medium heat until the onion mixture softens.
Add the carrots, orange rind, thyme and bay leaf. Then, add enough water to just barely cover the carrots. Simmer the soup over medium-low until the carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup with about 1/4 cup olive oil until it is velvety and smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.
To serve: spoon the soup into a bowl and top with a spoonful of the pistachio pesto. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and parsley and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
