I had been planning my One Ingredient post and knew exactly what I wanted to make. It’s hot. So hot. And cucumber is cold. Perfect.
A chilled soup of cucumber . Classic, cooling, refreshing, delicate. And I would add my twist of a Greek salad garnish. This would be my take on a Gazpacho. Like a British version, all green and pleasant.
Then something came along and bowled me over big time. Whilst reading The Guardian’s “Family” section last Saturday I came across a recipe that just won my heart. Auntie Sue’s Gherkin Soup.
If there was ever a soup that should have my name on it then this is it. My Tomato & Tamarind soup had a hint of these piquant flavours with it’s pickled jalapeño garnish. But the thought of adding gherkins to a cucumber soup is simply genius.
Cooked cucumber soup , served chilled with finely chopped Mrs. Elswood’s Haimisha gherkins (my favourite) and a cucumber, radish, mint and Feta relish. Ugh. Eek. Yikes. Ghastly. I know that’s what you’re thinking. But, you are just going to have to trust me on this.
Think Gazpacho but with cucumber instead of tomato as the main ingredient. Add a touch of single cream for smoothness and throw in a crunchy zing with pickles. Finish with a relish that ties the whole soup together and you have something so summery I dare you to try it.
Thank you Auntie Sue!
I am entering my soup into One Ingredient hosted by me this month in partnership with Franglais Kitchen.
Are you a pickle fan and will you be trying out this soup? I would love to hear for you if you do!
Chilled Cucumber & Gherkin Soup
Ingredients
- For the soup:)
- 25 g -25g unsalted butter
- 4 Spring onions finely sliced
- 2 Small potatoes peeled and finely sliced
- 2 Cucumbers peeled, de-seeded and chopped into small chunks,
- 1 tbsp Flour
- 400 ml Vegetable stock
- Salt & pepper
- 50 ml Sngle cream
- For the garnish:)
- 1 Haimisha gherkin finely diced
- 6 Rdishes topped and tailed and finely diced,
- 1/4 Cucumber peeled,de-seeded and finely diced,
- 1 tbsp Mint chopped
- 50 g Feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- For the soup:)
Place the butter into a medium saucepan and melt before adding in the spring onions, potatoes and cucumber. Cook this mixture over a medium heat for 5 minutes,
Add in the flour and cook for two minutes on a medium heat then pour over the stock and some seasoning,
Bring the soup to the boil and cook for 15 minutes,
Take the soup off the heat and blitz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor,
Add in the cream and check the seasoning,
Leave the soup to chill, preferably overnight
- For the garnish:)
Finely chop the Haimisha gherkin and set aside,
Combine the finely diced cucumber, radishes, chopped mint and crumbled Feat in a bowl and mix together ready for garnishing your soup,
- For assembling the soup:)
Place your thoroughly chilled soup into 4 soup bowls thinning with a little extra cream if necessary,
Sprinkle over the chopped gherkin,
Place a small amount of the Greek salad relish in the middle of the bowl.
Drizzle over some good extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Oh Laura, that sounds pretty amazing. You know I like these kinds of flavours too, and this just sounds so perfect for the hot weather – yes, we are hot in Scotland too! I’m just wondering about doing it all from cold and not using the butter onions and flour and just using more spring onions and olive oil. Would that work, or does it need the first step? Thinner soup but instant soup!
Hi Kellie, I am so pleased that it is a good up in Edinburgh as it is here. Such a heatwave! As far as the soup goes, I am afraid I wouldn’t recommend adapting this recipe much in the same way as I wouldn’t want to adapt Vichyssoise. Basically this is a hot cooked soup that works well cold. Very different from a raw, uncooked soup in taste and texture so a little cooking is required. Also, cooked cucumber has such a wonderful delicate flavour quite unlike it’s taste when raw. Sorry to bring you this news but I hope you get what I mean!
I love this recipe Laura. Perfectly healthy as well as cooling and I think adding strong flavours as in a gazpacho and as you have done here make low fat foods seem more filling and delicious.
I agree with you, good tasty food does;t have to pack in the calories. In this weather I just don’t fancy the same foods as I do in cooler weather and this is amazingly filling, especially with the Feta and cream. Just enough to enrich the flavour without being heavy. Cooked cucumber is so tasty!
Wonderful, I love the idea of cucumber and gherkins, may have to make it without telling my husband the key ingredient, amazingly he loves gherkins but loathes cucumbers!
Thank you so much Laura, you always inspire me to try new things!
I thought you were going to say he loathes gherkins! In fact this soup is great as the cooking of the cucumbers gives them are far more delicate flavour that you wouldn’t achieve of you made the soup without cooking it first. I think he would love it 🙂
This sounds so good!
British cooks are often very creative. I love that.
I was in the U.K. for 2 weeks again, and all I ate was perfect.
I will give this soup a try for sure!
Have a nice w.e.
Hello and thanks. I agree London is now a rival to all other European cities!
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
Hi Kaylan, thanks for visiting and for your comment 🙂
Looks and sounds so fresh and tasty. You had me at gherkins!
Gherkins are so good!
Oh My goodness! I adore gherkins – this is definitely one that I will have to try, it sounds delicious!
Loving the twist in this recipe. Bring on cucumber season.