Chilled Avocado Soup With Cilantro
2 ripe avocados
Juice of ½ lemons
1 tsp chili oil
3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 cup think plain yogurt
1 ¼ cups fresh tomato juice
2 cups vegetable stock
½ onion, finely shredded
1 ¼ cups crème fraiche or sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Halve and pit the avocados. Peel them and place the flesh in a large bowl with the lemon juice. Mash until smooth. Stir in the chili oil and two-thirds of the cilantro. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Gently blend in the yogurt and crème Fraiche, followed by the tomato juice and finally the stock. stir in the shredded onion and season chill for 2 hours.
Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.
Chilled Celery Root And Apple Soup With Chives
4 tbsp butter
1 ½ large onions, sliced
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 firm, tart, green-skinned apples, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery root, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper bunch of fresh chives
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent, 2-4 minutes
Sprinkle in the nutmeg and cook 1 minute longer. Add the apples and celery root and cook 5 minutes more, stirring constantly.
Dissolve the chicken bouillon cubes in 5 cups of hot water and add this to the pan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool a little before adding the lime juice. When cold, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Then chill overnight.
Adjust the seasoning of the chilled soup and pour it into serving bowls. Finely snip the chives over the bowls to garnish.
Herbed Cream Of Carrot Soup
1 lb carrots, chopped
2cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp celery salt
1 ¼ cups light cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp each minced watercress, parsley, and chives
Put the carrots and vegetable stock in a large saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the celery salt and stir thoroughly. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Transfer the carrots and their stock to a blender or food processor. Add the onion and blend until smooth.
Return this to the saucepan and bring it almost to a boil. Remove from the heat and the cream.
Season with pepper only and stir over low heat just to warn through,
Do not allow boiling or the cream will curdle.
Pour the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle a little of each of the 3 herbs over each serving.
Herbed Vegetable Soup With Vermicelli
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
2 crisps celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 heads of broccoli, chopped
1 large potato, diced
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 ½ quart vegetable stock
3 oz vermicelli
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent.
Add the other vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the oregano and sauté 2 minutes longer.
Add the stock and bring it slowly to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes over low heat.
Add the vermicelli, increase the heat to medium again, and cook until the vermicelli is tender.
Adjust the seasoning. Add the parsley and chives just before serving.
