Recipes

Article & Recipes written by Pascale Beale-Groom

for Coastal View News - May 2010

Given the fabulous weather I think I will continue on the theme from last month – that of dining outside. What could be more delicious on a bright, warm spring day that a bowl of a beautiful cool soup. I adore soups at all times of year, but there is something particularly refreshing about chilled ones.

Here are a few to savor over the coming summer months.

SALMON AND YOGURT SOUP

Serves 8 people

For the yogurt base:

4 cups yogurt – some are more liquid than other which is what you want

½ cup finely chopped, peeled cucumber

½ cup finely chopped mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring so that they are well combined and set aside.

For the salmon mixture:

8 oz smoked salmon – finely diced

2 medium sized tomatoes - peeled, seeded and finely diced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ shallot – very finely diced

1 bunch chives – finely copped

1 Tablespoon dill – finely chopped

salt

white pepper

For the garnish:

1/3 cup crème fraiche

salmon roe

• Place all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and combine well. Then stir all of the salmon mixture into the yogurt base, cover with cling film and refrigerate until 10 minutes before serving.
• When ready to serve, spoon the soup out into individual bowls and top with a small spoon of crème fraiche in the center, with a little salmon roe placed on top of that.

Vichyssoise

Serves 8 people

Olive oil

1 large yellow onion – peeled and finely sliced

4 long leeks – cleaned thoroughly and whites finely sliced

4 Yukon gold potatoes – peeled and diced

8 cups vegetable broth

1 bunch chives finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves

Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½ lemon

2/3 cup crème fraiche

Salt and pepper

• Pour a little olive oil into a large saucepan placed over medium heat. Add in the onion and leek, a large pinch of salt and some pepper and cook until soft and translucent – about 5-7 minutes.
• Add in the potatoes, cook for one minute and then add in the vegetables stock. Cook for 12-15 minutes so that the potatoes are completely softened. Add in the chives and tarragon and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until the mixture is very smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and crème fraiche, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours. Serve cold with some freshly chopped chives as a garnish.

Cucumber and avocado soup with heirloom tomato tartare

This soup comes from my Summer Cookbook – it is silky and smooth and the texture of the tomato tartare in the soup is delicious!

Serves 8 people

1 ½ English cucumbers – peeled and coarsely chopped

2-3 ripe avocadoes – cut in half and the flesh scooped out

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 bunch chives – finely chopped (keep 1 tablespoon set aside for garnish)

½ bunch cilantro – finely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse grey moist sea salt

For the garnish:

2 medium green or yellow heirloom tomatoes – diced into small cubes

1 teaspoon olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Chives – see list above

Grey sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup crème fraiche

1. Place the cucumber in a blender and puree until smooth. Add in the avocado and puree for just a few seconds. Add in the olive oil and the remaining ingredients and puree again for a few seconds more. You should have a very smooth, pale green soup. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Combine all the garnish ingredients, except the crème fraiche in a small bowl and toss to combine well.
3. To serve, divide the soup equally between eight small soup bowls. Carefully spoon a little crème fraiche into the center of each bowl of soup. Add a tablespoon of the tomato mixture on top of the tomatoes.