Chilled Red Pepper & Fennel Soup

Ingredients

• 30 ml (2 Tbs) olive oil

• 2 leeks, white part only, chopped

• 1 Spanish onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 shallots, chopped

• 5 large carrots, chopped

• 2 fennel bulbs, halved, cored and chopped

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 3 red peppers

• 250 ml (1 cup) champagne OR white wine

• 1.125 litres (4½ cups) chicken stock  OR vegetable stock 

• salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 45 ml (3 Tbs) mild yogurt

Minted Corn Salsa

• 2 ears of corn

• ½ small Spanish onion, finely diced

• 1 Roma tomato, seeded

• 10 fresh mint leaved, finely sliced

• 2 springs fresh dhania,  chopped

• 80 ml (1/3 cup) chopped fresh parsley

• juice of 1 lime

• salt

• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the leeks, Spanish onion, garlic and shallots and sweat for 5 minutes until soft.

2. Add the carrots, fennel and thyme sprigs and cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

3. Meanwhile, slice the four sides of the peppers (discard the seed core) and grill, skin side up, for about 5 minutes until blackened and blistered.

4. Transfer the peppers into a plastic bag and allow to steam.

5. When cool enough to handle, open the bag and slip the skins off the pepper pieces.

6. Add the pepper pieces, champagne and stock to the softened vegetables and raise the heat to high.

7. Continue to cook, uncovered for 20 minutes until all the flavours have combined.

8. Remove the soup from the heat and purée in a food processor, blender or hand blender.

9. Seaon to taste with salt and pepper and allow to cool.

Minted Corn Salsa

1. Cut all the corn from the ears and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

2. Mix the Spanish onion, Roma tomato and corn in a bowl.

3. Add the mint leaves, dhania, parsley, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly.

Toasted Italian Bread

1. Cut Italian bread into thick slices.

2. Place on a baking tray at 180°C for 10 minutes.

3. Turn bread and bake for 10 minutes longer or until golden.

4. Rub hot toast with the cut surface of a clove garlic.