Nigel Slater's cold yogurt soup recipe
A light and fresh soup for a summer day. This should be served chilled. I bring the bowl to the table with ice cubes to cool it even more. Serve in small quantities, perhaps with sticky dark rye bread.
Peel 350g cucumber, removing only the very tough outer skin. Cut in half lengthwise, then scrape out and discard the seeds and pulp from the center. Coarsely grate the flesh using a hand grater or a food processor fitted with the coarsest grater.
Put 500ml plain yogurt into a mixing bowl, beat gently until smooth and creamy, then stir in grated cucumber. Peel and grate a single clove of young, sweet summer garlic, then add it to the yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the tarragon white wine vinegar. Finely chop 1 or 3 gherkins, then stir 1 tablespoon of chopped mint, dill and parsley into the soup, then season with salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and cool well. Bring to the table with ice cubes and a little parsley, dill and, if you have it, thyme or dill flowers. Serves 3-4
A thinly sliced sweet pepper is a nice addition.
A small amount of white crabmeat can be sprinkled over each bowl before serving, or perhaps a handful of cooked, peeled shrimp.
You can make crab cakes to sit in your soup. (The sizzling fish cakes contrast well with the cold soup.) Mix together 200g mixed white and brown crabmeat, 125g fresh breadcrumbs, 1 beaten egg, 2 small chopped hot peppers, a small handful of cilantro, 3 tbsp flour and shape into 8 cupcakes. Leave to rest for half an hour in the refrigerator, then sauté them in a little oil in a non-stick pan until golden brown, turning them once. Serve with soup.
Follow Nigel on Twitter @NigelSlater
A light and fresh soup for a summer day. This should be served chilled. I bring the bowl to the table with ice cubes to cool it even more. Serve in small quantities, perhaps with sticky dark rye bread.
Peel 350g cucumber, removing only the very tough outer skin. Cut in half lengthwise, then scrape out and discard the seeds and pulp from the center. Coarsely grate the flesh using a hand grater or a food processor fitted with the coarsest grater.
Put 500ml plain yogurt into a mixing bowl, beat gently until smooth and creamy, then stir in grated cucumber. Peel and grate a single clove of young, sweet summer garlic, then add it to the yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the tarragon white wine vinegar. Finely chop 1 or 3 gherkins, then stir 1 tablespoon of chopped mint, dill and parsley into the soup, then season with salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and cool well. Bring to the table with ice cubes and a little parsley, dill and, if you have it, thyme or dill flowers. Serves 3-4
A thinly sliced sweet pepper is a nice addition.
A small amount of white crabmeat can be sprinkled over each bowl before serving, or perhaps a handful of cooked, peeled shrimp.
You can make crab cakes to sit in your soup. (The sizzling fish cakes contrast well with the cold soup.) Mix together 200g mixed white and brown crabmeat, 125g fresh breadcrumbs, 1 beaten egg, 2 small chopped hot peppers, a small handful of cilantro, 3 tbsp flour and shape into 8 cupcakes. Leave to rest for half an hour in the refrigerator, then sauté them in a little oil in a non-stick pan until golden brown, turning them once. Serve with soup.
Follow Nigel on Twitter @NigelSlater
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