Cucumber Soup

Cucumbers Onions and Parsley grow well in a polytunnel, try different varieties each year

Cucumber Soup
Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
4 small cucumbers or 2 large ones
1 avocado
Bunch of fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pint/ 500 g of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz / 250 g low-fat plain yogurt

Recipe
Mince the garlic, dice the onion. Peel de-seed and thinly slice cucumber, and dice the avocado. Put aside some cucumber slices for garnish. Chop most of the parsley; leave the rest for the garnish. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and simmer for a further minute.

Add the cucumber slices to the saucepan, then the vegetable stock, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, and pinch of cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the diced avocado and chopped parsley. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a serving bowl and stir in the yogurt. Garnish with the remaining chopped cucumber and parsley and serve immediately

Suggestions
Prefer chilled? Refrigerate for a couple of hours, and then add the garnish of cucumber and parsley
Use Italian flat parsley, try very curly parsley
Use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock