Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Crispy Lentils

Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Crispy Lentils

Kylmä kurkku-avokadokeitto ja rapeaksi paahdetut linssit

Greetings from Berlin!  I may be away in Germany, but I still have a small back log of recipes to clear.  I love this soup.  It really is a taste of summer.  Cool, refreshing and with a slight kick of chilli, it is perfect for a warm sunny day.  The addition of crispy lentils adds some delicious crunch and texture.  I first had crispy lentils in New York at MOMA and have been waiting for an opportunity to try them out myself.

This works really well well as a starter, for a dinner party or BBQ.  The soup can be made a few hours in advance and kept chilled in the fridge.  When you are ready,  simply pour into bowls and decorate with the lentils just before serving so they stay crisp.

Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup – serves 2 – 3 or 4 -5 as starter

1 Ripe Avocado, peeled, de-stoned and roughly chopped

1 cucumber, deseeded and cut into chunks

1 spring onion, roughly chopped

1/2 green chilli, deseeded if you don’t like it hot

a handful of fresh coriander

a handful of fresh basil

3 dl vegetable stock

1 dl flavourless plant based yoghurt or cream

juice of a lime

salt and pepper

to decorate – 3 tbsp cooked lentils, herbs, red chilli, olive oil

Simply add all the ingredients, except the decorations,  to a blender and pulse until you have a smooth soup.  Add a little extra water if the soup is too thick.  Check the seasoning and place in the fridge to chill.  You can also add some extra chilli or tabasco if you like it hot.

To make the crispy lentils,  heat a couple of teaspoons of oil in a pan over a medium heat.  Pat the lentils dry with some kitchen paper and carefully add to the pan.  Stir until the lentils have begun to crisp up.  This may take a couple of minutes as you will first need to cook off any remaining moisture.  Once crisp, place on some more paper to absorb any excess oil.  Season and set to one side, until you are ready to use.

When ready to serve, pour the soup into bowls, top with lentils, some chopped red chilli, a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a drizzle of olive oil.