Chilled minty courgette soup

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• onion↗1

  chopped

• courgettes↗1kg kg

  roughly chopped

• dried mint↗½ tsp tsp
• vegetable stock↗1.3l l

  (try Marigold vegetable bouillon powder)

• sprigs of fresh mint3-4
• single cream↗4 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook gently for about 2-3 minutes until softened. Now add the courgettes and dried mint, and stir well to mix with the onion. Cover and cook over a gentle heat for about 10 minutes until the courgettes are softened but not coloured.

2. 2

   Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Strip the mint leaves off the stalks and drop them into the pan, then cover the pan and continue simmering gently for 20 minutes or until the courgettes are very tender. Remove from the heat and let the bubbles subside before blitzing in a food processor or blender until smooth (if you like a really smooth soup, simply pour it through a sieve after blitzing). Pour into a bowl and leave to cool, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

3. 3

   To serve, taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve in chilled soup plates with a spoonful of cream drizzled in the middle.