Chilled Courgette Soup with Goat’s Milk Yoghurt
The ultimate courgette supper is on the table and and it looks absolutely divine. Chilled courgette soup with goat’s yoghurt, courgette and garden herb pesto bread and finally borlotti bean and courgette hummus.
It’s a lovely summers evening,but the season is on the turn,daylight is become shorter and there is a chill in the air but tonight it’s still pleasant enough to enjoy supper on the patio. My garden is at it’s most beautiful and I can still see the courgette monsters lurking in the back ground. They have done well, the courgette plants that is, they have delivered in abundance and I have written several times about our courgette experience. I know once they go the garden will be bare and I will need something else to write about.
It was fun while it lasted and I’m afraid that it will end. Me and the courgette plants became good friends and I tried to do them justice with my delicious dishes and recipes.
This chilled courgette soup is delicious served either hot or cold. We have had three dinners from this one batch of soup and enjoyed it both ways.
You might find this recipe slightly over indulgent as I only use the green firm outer parts of the courgette , however there is lots that you can make with the white seedy interior, such as the hummus. However if you find that a bit too messy then use the whole courgette.
The spinach also came from my garden and I like to add a handful of spinach to green soups. It helps with the colour and I quite like the earthy back ground flavour that it adds to the dishes.
I refer to frozen chicken stock in this recipe, you can either use chicken or vegetable stock. I make a large batch of stock and freeze it in 500g blocks, amazing how handy the frozen stock can be. The cooler your ingredients the more vibrant green your soup will remain. Work fast and keep the soup chilled, even if you are going to serve the soup hot. Bring the soup to the boil once you are ready to serve, the longer you keep the soup hot the less vibrant green the soup will be.
I have used the goats milk yoghurt as I used goats cheese inside the bread. You can use Greek yoghurt or even natural yoghurt if you wish.
This is the perfect picnic dish. Pour the chilled soup into a flask , take the yoghurt in its tub and I guarantee that you will stun your friends with this tasty little number.
- 1.5kg courgettes
- 200g ice cubes
- 500g cold chicken stock, if frozen it's even better
- 1 banana shallot sliced
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 40g fresh large leaf spinach
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh lemon thyme leaves and flowers
- 2tbs goats milk yoghurt
- good olive oil
Wash the courgettes and cut them into 1/4's, remove the white soft seeds. You will end up with roughly 1kg of the green firm part and 500g of the white soft seedy interior. Keep the white parts for another recipe, however if your not too fussed then use the whole lot. I have chosen to use the firm green parts as I wanted a vibrant green colour.
Peel and finely slice the shallot and crush the garlic.
Chop the green parts in even size pieces, saute the sliced shallots, crushed garlic and courgettes in a tablespoon of olive oil, cayenne pepper and seasoning until lightly coloured, about 2 minutes at high heat. Have the ice cubes ready in a bowl along with the cold or frozen chicken stock. Scatter the sauteed courgettes onto the ice cubes to cool them rapidly.
Add the grated nutmeg, washed spinach leaves and lemon juice.
Blend the soup until smooth, I use a Thermomix which is a very powerful machine and for that reason I do not need to pass the soup however if you prefer a smooth and silky soup I recommend that you pass the soup through a fine sieve or chinoise.
Chill the soup.
Serve the chilled soup with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a dollop of the goats milk yoghurt and garnish with the thyme leaves and flowers and a piece of the freshly baked courgette bread.
Serves 6 for a main meal
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That is a beautiful summer soup. Lovely presentation, I love all the little details and garnishes!