Courgette Vichyssoise With Parmesan Crusted Courgette Croutons

My friend Hilary has given me this gorgeous soup to share with you. I'll let her tell you about it.

Summer has finally arrived in Bonnie Dundee, and not being used to the heat I felt like I wanted to cool down. I decided to try to create a cold soup for the No Croutons Required challenge. I am a huge fan of Gazpacho, but felt a different treatment was required for the courgette… and then I hit upon the idea of using courgette as the flavour in Vichyssoise instead it’s more wintery friend, the humble leek….. I was very pleasantly surprised with the result, and the great advantage to this soup is that if the weather doesn’t hold it is equally good served hot!

Courgette Vichyssoise with Parmesan Crusted Courgette Croutons

Ingredients

2 ½ organic courgettes
2 organic medium potatoes
½ medium onion (finely chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper
semi skimmed milk
2 tsp marigold bouillion – with 500ml boiling water

garnish – ½ courgette ( cubed), grated parmesan, olive oil

drizzle – lemon zest (unwaxed), chopped parsley, olive oil

Method

1. Heat pan on medium heat, drop in olive oil, warm, then add onion
2. Peel outer skin from courgette and potatoes, and cube in 1cm cubes. Add to onion. Stir, and sweat veg for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
3. Bash garlic cloves with flat blade of knife and place in pot. Season veg with salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Add 500ml marigold bouillion veggie stock and bring to gentle simmer. Put on lid, and continue to simmer for 30 mins on a low heat.
5. Fish out the 2 cloves of garlic, and then using a hand blender, blend soup. Add semi skimmed milk to required consistency. ( I used about 300ml)
6. Allow to cool before chilling in fridge.

To Serve:-

Make drizzle oil by combining lemon zest, parsley and olive oil and leaving to infuse

For croutons, heat olive oil in frying pan, than pan fry courgette cubes and after 5 minute remove cubes from pan, toss in grated parmesan and then return to pan for 2 mins, stirring constantly.