Hearty Beef Soup with Basil Pesto

This hearty soup with chunks of tender beef in a clear, salty broth is so digestible and nourishing – cooked with the collagen rich cuts. Top it with some basil pesto for extra flavour.

Soup

• Olive oil
• 700g diced slow cooking grass fed beef (chuck or round) or 1kg oxtail
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 bacon rashers, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 2 stick celery, chopped
• 2 desire potatoes, chopped
• 8 cups beef stock
• 1 whole cloves
• Cracked black pepper & sea salt
• Small bunch parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large pot on the stove top on a medium to high heat. Add the beef pieces and brown.  Remove from the pan and add the leek and bacon to the pan.  Cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add the carrot, parsnip and celery.  Cook for a further few minutes until the vegetables are softened somewhat.

Return the beef to the pot, add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the clove, ground black pepper and a generous pinch of sea salt.  Simmer slowly for 1.5 hours or until the beef is tender.  Add the chopped fresh parsley and stir through.

Pesto

• 1 small bunch basil leaves
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and mixed.

To Serve

Serve the soup in bowls and top with a little fresh parsley and drop small spoonfuls of the pesto on top.

This soup is also lovely just on its own if you choose not to make the pesto.

Many of our hampers include slow cooking cuts of beef suitable for this soup – and you can choose to add oxtail to go with your hamper too, if you’d like to try it made that way.  Our great selection of hamper choices can be seen and ordered here.

Kirrily x