YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 10 minutes | STOVETOP: about 25 minutes | CHILLING TIME: 2 hours
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 pounds carrots with tops, tops removed and reserved, carrots peeled or scrubbed and chopped
• 1 pound leeks (about 2 medium), white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 6 cups Veggie-Herb Broth or equal parts Chicken Broth and water
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
FOR THE PESTO:
• Reserved carrot tops (from above)
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (about 1 bunch)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
1. Make the soup: Heat the avocado oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the carrots, leeks, and cumin seeds. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the leeks have softened and the cumin seeds are fragrant.
2. Add the broth and orange juice and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat so the soup is at a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are very soft.
3. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until very smooth. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.
4. Make the pesto: Remove and discard the tough stems of the carrot tops and clean the greens well. Measure out 1 cup of the cleaned, stemmed greens.
5. Put the cleaned carrot tops, cilantro, olive oil, pine nuts, lime juice, and salt in a food processor. Pulse 10 to 12 times, until you have a coarse puree.
6. Serve the chilled soup topped with the pesto.
Chef’s Tip: Freeze any remaining pesto if not using within 4 days. Prefer to use it up? It’s also great on Minestrone with Orecchiette , Spring Chicken Soup with Lemon and Asparagus , or Moroccan Carrot Soup with Yogurt and Mace or just stirred into some veggie noodles .
AIP Modification: Use ginger or turmeric instead of cumin, and use artichoke hearts instead of pine nuts in the pesto.
Nut-Free Modification: Use artichoke hearts instead of pine nuts in the pesto.
