We shot this recipe right there on the grass, under a blooming elderflower tree. It didn’t even take 5 minutes. I know that, because we were in a hurry to the midsummer celebrations. My sister had already called to remind me not to be late, twice. We are like that, me and my sister, she is on time and I am late. Always. I am getting off topic here. My point is that we were in a hurry, but I wanted to shoot this soup before we brought it with us to the party. So we packed everything into a crate, carried it outside, found a nice spot in the grass and arranged the glasses. And as I was leaning over to take the first shot, I bumped into a branch from the tree and those elderflowers fell down and into the frame. It was perfect. Just like that.
This kind of fuzz-free photography rarely happens to me. It usually takes 200+ frames and 4 different backgrounds to get the photos the way we want them. So when these things do happen, we have to embrace them.
We hope this avocado soup can be of some help through the most sweltering summer days. We have always found cold soups so perfect during the summer (this watermelon gazpacho is another favorite), but what makes this particular soup even better is that the avocado and coconut milk makes it more satiating than most soups. Another great thing is that you can throw it together in just a few minutes. Yay, for spending less time in the kitchen and more time outside. The dill adds an unusual and wonderful flavor twist, but if you can’t find it, just go with chives.
We also wanted to let you know that our book is now also available as an ebook. You can find it in Apple’s iBookstore or a Kindle version on Amazon.
Hardie Grant have kindly agreed to give away 20 promo codes to download the ebook from iBookstore for free. To participate, just simply leave a comment with your name and where you are from. We will draw 20 winners randomly on Wednesday July 17. Good luck!
The giveaway is now closed. We will notify the winners in our next post. Thank you all for participating!
Cold Avocado Soup
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a lunch/dinner
You can prepare this a day ahead and keep in a closed container in the fridge. If you are not vegan you can also try replacing the coconut milk with yogurt.
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
3 inches (7 cm) cucumber, peeled and cut into smaller pieces
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 tbsp lemon juice
4-8 drops tabasco
a handful chives, chopped
3 stems dill
2 ice cubes
1 tsp salt
Serve with
a splash of olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
dill & chives, chopped
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Mix it until completely smooth. Season to taste. Serve immediately in glasses or bowls or keep it chilled in the fridge until serving. Top with a splash of olive oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives and some dill.
Ps. Make sure to check out the latest issue of Food & Wine Magazine. We created a recipe for them that ended up on the cover!
762 Comments