Avocado & soured cream soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 4 spring onions sliced, plus 2 extra to garnish
- 2 large ripe avocados halved and stoned
- 4 tablespoons soured cream
- 600 ml vegetable or chicken stock
- juice of 2 limes
- salt and pepper
- Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spring onions and fry for 5 minutes until softened. Cut very thin strips from the remaining spring onions to create curls. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Scoop out the avocado flesh from the shells with a dessertspoon and add to a blender or food processor with the fried spring onions, the soured cream and about a third of the stock. Blend until a smooth purée, then gradually mix in the remaining stock and lime juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
- Serve the soup immediately while the avocado is still bright green in cups or glass tumblers containing some ice. Scatter the spring onion curls over the soup and serve with breadsticks or grissini.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
For homemade salt & pepper grissini, to serve as an accompaniment, put 250 g (8 oz) strong white flour into a bowl and mix with ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon caster sugar and 1 teaspoon fast-action dried yeast. Add 4 teaspoons olive oil and gradually mix in up to 150 ml (¼ pint) warm water until you’ve made a smooth dough. Knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, then cut the dough into 18 pieces and roll each into a thin rope. Put these on a greased baking sheet, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. Remove the clingfilm, brush the bread with beaten egg, then sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt and a generous scattering of roughly crushed black peppercorns. Bake in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 6–8 minutes until golden. Serve warm or cold with the soup.