Chilled courgette soup with mint

St Bertrand

I didn't pick any courgettes yesterday having checked them the day before and seeing none that were in danger of taking over the garden, so I was a little surprised to find a couple of marrows on the courgette plants today - it's amazing what a little rain can do - and it wasn't heavy rain overnight!

So, this next recipe is for courgette and mint soup - to be eaten chilled. Allow at least 4 hours for the soup to cool in the fridge before eating.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep, heavy bottomed saucepan and gently cook 1 chopped onion for a couple of minutes until softened.

Add 1kg of courgettes, chopped. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes further then cover and leave over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the courgettes are soft but do not allow them to colour.

Add 1.5 litres of vegetable stock and a handful of chopped fresh mint leaves and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for a further 20 minutes until the courgettes are soft.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before blending the soup. Adjust the seasoning and add stir in a small pot of creme fraiche.

Put the soup into a large bowl or tureen and allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning if required. Serve in individual bowls with a swirl of creme fraiche and a sprig of mint.