Recipe
Chilled Almond & Cucumber Soup
A cool Mediterranean soup blending cucumber, almonds and garlic with red wine vinegar, finished with toasted almonds and grapes for a crisp, nutty summer starter.
Ingredients
Method
20 mins prep140 mins total
Soak the torn bread in the cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden; set them aside.
Put the blanched almonds and soaked bread in a blender. Add the cucumber, garlic, olive oil, water and red wine vinegar, then blend until completely smooth.
Season with the salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust the vinegar carefully, then pass the soup through a fine sieve if you want a silkier texture.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve in chilled bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, the toasted flaked almonds and halved grapes.
Notes
Chill the blended soup for at least two hours so the cucumber, almond and vinegar flavours settle. If the texture is grainy, pass it through a fine sieve before serving.
Add the vinegar gradually: the amount needed depends on how mild or sharp it is, and the soup should taste fresh rather than aggressively acidic.
About this recipe
This chilled almond and cucumber soup is a bright, refreshing starter for warm days. Cucumber brings a clean, watery freshness, while soaked bread and almonds give the blended soup enough body to feel considered rather than thin. Garlic and red wine vinegar sharpen the mix without overwhelming its gentle nuttiness.
Chilling the soup thoroughly lets the flavours settle and makes the texture more cohesive. A final drizzle of olive oil, toasted flaked almonds and halved grapes adds contrast at the table. Blend it very smooth, then pass it through a sieve if you prefer a silkier finish.
