Chilled creamy avocado soup with fresh salsa

Serves 4-6 Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes

This soup is deliciously fresh and cool for the long hot days that lie ahead. Chill it well before serving.

You need

• 3 cups (750ml) ice-cold vegetable stock • 1 bunch fresh coriander (stalks and all) • ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil • 1 onion, chopped • 2 large avocados • juice of 1-2 limes

FOR THE SALSA • 4 ripe Roma tomatoes, finely chopped • 3 tablespoons (45ml) coriander leaves (the leaves from the stalks used for the soup) • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 1 chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped • juice and grated zest of 1 lime, or to taste • 150g prawns, cleaned and cooked

This is how

Make sure the stock is ice cold. Rinse the coriander thoroughly, then remove the leaves and set them aside for the salsa. Chop the stalks finely. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and coriander stalks. Set aside to cool.

Pulse half the stock along with the avocados and the onion mixture in a food processor until thick and creamy. Add more stock until the soup reaches the desired consistency – and if you want to make it thicker, add more avocado. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ice cold.

Make the salsa by combining the tomato, coriander leaves, onion, chilli and lime juice and zest. Stir in the prawns and serve the salsa with small portions of the soup. >