Pistachio Soup

From Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

This is a traditional Iranian Jewish soup.   I was fortunate enough to have saffron that a friend brought home from Iran.  The intro to the recipe warns not to judge the recipe until the orange and lemon juices are added at the end.  I agree - they make the soup delightful!  I tried Meyer lemons today from Trader Joe's, which are considerably sweeter than regular lemons.  If they are available, they're worth a try.

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp boiling water
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 2/3 cups unsalted pistachios
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 shallots finely chopped
1 Tbsp peeled and finely chopped garlic
1 leek, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups vegetable stock
1/3 cup freshly squeezed OJ
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
sour cream to serve - optional

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the boiling water over the saffron threads in a small cup and leave to infuse for 30 minutes

2) Removing the pistachio skins will make the soup a brighter green but won't affect the taste.  I did not do this, but if you care to, blanch the nuts in boiling water for a minute, drain, and while still hot remove the skins by pressing the nuts between your fingers.

3) Spread the pistachios out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for ~5 minutes - watch carefully to avoid burning.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

3) Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the shallots, ginger, leek, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and some black pepper.  Sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots are completely soft.  Add the stock and half of the saffron liquid.  Cover the pan, lower the heat and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.

4) Place all but 1 Tbsp of the pistachios in a large bowl along with half of the soup.  Use a blender (or a handheld blender if you have a very deep bowl) to puree until smooth, then return this to the saucepan.  Add the orange and lemon juice, reheat and taste to adjust the seasoning.

5) To serve, coarsely chop up the reserved pistachios.  Transfer the hot soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of sour cream, if desired.  Sprinkle with the pistachios and drizzle with the remaining saffron liquid.