iced green gazpacho

How to make iced green gazpacho recipe

Serves 4

Total preparation time 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 celery sticks (including leaves)
1 small green pepper, deseeded
1 large cucumber, peeled
3 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
1 fresh green chilli, deseeded
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon clear honey
150 g (5 oz) walnuts, lightly toasted
200 g (7 oz) baby spinach
50 g (2 oz) basil leaves
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
250 ml (8 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 tablespoons natural yogurt
475 ml (16 fl oz) iced water
handful of ice cubes
salt and pepper
ready-made croutons, to serve

Method:
Chop roughly the celery, pepper, cucumber, bread, chilli and garlic.

Place in a blender and add the honey, walnuts, spinach, basil, vinegar, oil, yogurt, most of the iced water and the ice cubes, and season well. Whizz the soup until smooth. Add more iced water, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

For green vegetable salad, place 4 thinly sliced celery sticks, 1 sliced cucumber, 1 deseeded and thinly sliced green pepper and 100 g (3½ oz) baby spinach into a large wide bowl.

Make a dressing by whisking 150 ml (¼ pint) natural yogurt in a bowl with the juice of 1 lime, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 teaspoon clear honey and 1 finely diced green chilli.

Drizzle over the salad and scatter over a small handful of ready-made croutons before serving. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

iced green gazpacho