Fennel, Cucumber and Mint Soup
A chilled soup for a spring day. I like to include a piquant element in a mild, sweet soup such as this. A splash of pickle juice from a jar of gherkins, capers, or a spoonful of white wine vinegar will make the soup sing. Like all chilled soup, it is best served very cold, even with an ice cube or two added at the table.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz fennel
- 2.5 oz butter
- ½ cup water
- lemon juice from ½ lemon
- 10 oz cucumber
- 12 radishes plus extra to serve (optional)
- 2 Tbsp pickle juice from a jar of cornichons or white-wine vinegar
- 12 mint leaves plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1 cup yogurt
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Thinly slice the fennel. Melt the butter in a deep pan, add the water, lemon juice and fennel and cover with a piece of greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes over a low to moderate heat, so the fennel steams rather than fries, cooking without colour. When fully tender, process to a purée in a blender.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon then grate the flesh coarsely. Grate the radishes and mix with the cucumber. Stir in the pickle juice or vinegar, the fennel purée, then shred the mint leaves and stir them in together with the yogurt.
- Ladle into bowls, add a couple of ice cubes to each and, if you wish, sliced radishes and mint leaves.