Spring minestrone soup with pesto

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 40g/1½oz butter
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 leek, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
• 250g/9oz potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 150g/5oz savoy cabbage
• 2 litres/3½ pints beef or vegetable stock
• 400g/14oz can Italian chopped tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp green basil pesto

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add onions, leek and potatoes and cook for about five minutes, until starting to soften, stirring from time to time. Add the celery and cook for a few minutes more.

2. Meanwhile cut the half cabbage in quarters. Remove central stalk from cabbage and discard. Cut leaves across the wedge shape in short shreds.

3. Pour stock and can of tomatoes into the pan with the cabbage. Bring to the boil and gently simmer for about 30 mins.

4. Add pesto for the last 5 mins, and check the seasoning before serving.