• To drink: Go for Thelema Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc 2008, a complex wine with a hint of cucumber and tomato leaf in its character.

    Cucumber and avocado soup with chilli and tomato salsa

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 10 mins

    Ingredients

    • Soup

    • 2½ cucumbers, peeled
    • 300ml thick Greek yoghurt
    • 2 avocados, peeled
    • 80ml (1/3 cup) crème fraîche
    • 400ml chicken stock
    • 2 – 3 drops Tabasco
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh mint, chopped
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh chives, chopped
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh dill, chopped
    • sea salt, to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Salsa

    • 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
    • 100g Roma tomatoes, chopped
    • ½ cucumber, seeded and chopped
    • ½ red onion, finely chopped
    • 50ml parsley, finely chopped

    Instructions

    1

    For the soup, halve 2 of the cucumbers and scrape out the seeds. Chop the flesh and place it with the remaining ingredients, except the pepper, in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Chill until needed.

    2

    Use a peeler to slice the remaining cucumber into thin strips. Place a pile of cucumber strips in the middle of 4 soup bowls and spoon the soup around it. Season with pepper.

    3

    For the salsa, combine all the ingredients. Spoon it onto the soup and serve.