Potato Parmesan Soup With Parsley-Fennel Pesto

• FOR THE SOUP:
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole Medium Shallot, Diced
• 1 whole Large Garlic Clove, Minced
• 5 whole Medium Potatoes, Peeled And Cubed
• 4 cups Chicken Or Vegetable Stock
• 1 whole Bay Leaf
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cups Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
• _____
• FOR THE PESTO:
• 1 cup Fresh Chopped Curly Parsley
• 1 cup Fresh Fennel Fronds, Chopped And Tough Stems Removed
• 1/2 cups Fresh (untoasted) Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 cups Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pinch Salt And Pepper To Taste, If Needed

1. For the soup:
2. In a medium stockpot, drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium. When warm, add shallot and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add potatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add milk and bring back to a low boil. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf. Stir in grated parmesan. Using an immersion blender, puree soup to desired texture. If you use a blender rather than an immersion blender, make sure soup is cool before blending it to prevent a kitchen explosion. Taste soup at this point and add salt and pepper to taste (the soup should be plenty salty from the Parmesan cheese). If you don't serve immediately, reheat soup before serving.
3. For the pesto:
4. In a food processor, add parsley, fennel and almonds. Pulse until finely ground. While the processor is on, drizzle in 1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil. If desired, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Top soup with a dollop of this pesto and swirl it in. Store unused pesto in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

olive oil, shallot, garlic, potatoes, chicken, bay leaf, milk, parmesan cheese, curly parsley, fresh fennel, olive oil, salt

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/potato-parmesan-soup-with-parsley-fennel-pesto/ (may not work)