Creamy Zucchini/Courgette Soup
This soup is not a quick dish. There will be peeling, lots of stirring and chopping. And then 10 minutes of blending/liquidising. But as a special dish for an occasion or as a prelude to a dinner for your parents, it's impressive and delicious. This soup can be made the night before a dinner for guests. It tastes even better when you heat it up the next day.
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 6-8 medium courgettes/zucchini, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
- 900ml/1.5 pints of vegetable stock
- 50g/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus some more for garnish
- bunch basil, torn
- 2-4 tbsp crème fraîche (like a low-fat sour cream) plus more for garnish
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan or pot heat the oil and then add the courgettes and garlic. Cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally until courgettes are soft - about 20-25 minutes. You don't want to brown them.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cool for a couple of minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, basil and crème fraîche. Taste. Add any of those ingredients again to personal taste.
Pour mixture into a liquidiser/blender and whizz briefly. Taste and check seasoning. Pour back into pan until ready to reheat or pour into plastic containers to store in the fridge overnight.
To serve, in a pan gently warm over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Garnish in the soup bowls with basil, Parmesan and a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve with crusty French bread.