Chilled Cucumber Soup Recipe

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Basil Pesto and Butter Poached Prawn Recipe

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

*Yields: about 1.3 litres of soup about 4 portions

Ingredients :

80 g Butter
4 T Olive Oil
360 g Onion-chopped
4 Bay Leaves
20 g Garlic
3 small or about 855g Cucumber - chopped
1 cup Milk
2 cup Cream
10 g Mint

Method :

1) Get a heavy based pot hot. Add Butter and Olive Oil and allow to get hot

2) Add onions, bay leaves and garlic. Sauté until the onions are caramelised

3) Add Cucumber and sauté for 2 minutes

4) Add milk and cream and bring to the boil. Simmer for no more than 5 minutes

5) Finally, add fresh mint. Liquidise and strain straight away. Season and place into the fridge to cool until later use

*Hand pressed Basil Pesto

Yields: about 400 – 500 ml

Ingredients:

70 g Fresh Basil
100 g Pine Nuts or Pine Kernels (chef’s note: Flaked Almonds can be substituted as a more reasonable alternative and they taste as delicious!)
60 g Butter (chef's note: gives the Pesto a thicker consistency)
250 ml Olive Oil
25 g Garlic
100 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

Salt and Pepper

Method :

1) Place basil, butter, olive oil, garlic and grated parmesan into a liquidiser

2) Roast and slightly cool the pine nuts (chef's note: roast nuts just before adding to the other ingredients to ensure a fresh roasted flavour)

3) Add the nuts to the liquidiser and liquidise until the correct desired consistency is reached

* Butter poached Prawn

Yields: 4

Ingredients :

4 cleaned and de veined prawns

100g Butter

Extras :

Mint sprigs

Method :

Heat a pan and add butter. Allow to get to the beurre noisette stage. Add prawns and cook for about 30-45 seconds. Turn over and continue cooking.

Plating :

Place chilled soup in a soup bowl. Top with one teaspoon basil pesto. Garnish with butter poached prawns and a sprig of fresh mint.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713