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1. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Finely chop the yellow onion and 1 garlic clove from the pesto's 3 cloves, then cook the onion with the garlic and a pinch of salt for 6 minutes until soft and sweet, without browning.
1.0 clove garlic,
salt,
1 piece yellow onion,
1 tbsp butter
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2. Stir in the smoked paprika for 20 seconds, then add the roasted red peppers, cream-style sweet corn and vegetable stock. Simmer gently for 12 minutes.
2 piece jarred roasted red peppers, drained,
1 can cream-style sweet corn,
2 cup vegetable stock,
0.5 tsp smoked paprika
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3. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender or in a blender. Return to the pot, stir in the milk, season with salt and black pepper, and keep warm over low heat.
salt,
black pepper,
0.5 cup milk
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4. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Cool briefly, then pound or pulse them with the remaining 2 garlic cloves and a pinch of salt into a coarse paste.
3 tbsp pine nuts,
2.0 clove garlic,
salt
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5. Add the fresh basil leaves and pulse or pound briefly, streaming in the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the Parmesan cheese by hand, add the juice of half the lemon, and season with salt and black pepper.
2 cup fresh basil leaves,
0.8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving),
80 ml extra virgin olive oil,
0.5 piece lemon,
salt,
black pepper
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6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Cook the orzo for 1 minute less than the package directions, about 7 minutes, adding the frozen peas for the final 2 minutes.
1.5 cup orzo,
1.5 cup frozen peas,
salt
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7. Reserve 0.5 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the orzo and peas without rinsing. Return them to the warm pot off the heat.
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8. Add the pesto and a splash of the reserved cooking water, tossing vigorously until the orzo is glossy and lightly coated. Add more water as needed, then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice from the remaining half lemon and adjust the seasoning.
0.5 piece lemon,
salt
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9. Serve the pesto pea orzo in shallow bowls with extra Parmesan cheese, alongside small cups of the warm soup garnished with fresh chives.
0.8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving),
1 tbsp fresh chives (garnish)
By james
