Smooth courgette soup

I’d been craving courgette for a long time. Over the May holiday weekend, my mum made it her way. Very delicately. I mean, the courgette turned out incredibly delicate. Cooked in butter, with the skin completely removed and so on. Positively Versailles.

The courgette I crave is usually rather spicier, and things somehow worked out after the weekend such that I really shouldn’t eat for a month, or perhaps even two. Especially bread, grilled pork neck or sausages. So a thoroughly vegetarian, very low-calorie (I hope), healthy soup was just the thing for me today. A smooth soup, of course — what else would you make with courgette?

I have to admit that I didn’t follow any particular recipe. I made this courgette my own way. So it’s fairly spicy (thanks to the garlic, mixed peppercorns and ginger) and exceptionally aromatic. I don’t know whether this is a classic recipe for smooth courgette soup, because I don’t think I know one. But it’s certainly as green as the spring outside the window.

Hehe.

Really, before the May holiday weekend I did a bit of work in the garden, and after clearing out the dandelions it’s perfectly green for this time of year. So I recommend a bit of garden inspiration on your plate.

Oh, and I’ll be dieting tomorrow too, so perhaps something equally diet-friendly? Ha, I wonder whether you could guess what I bought. Also intensely green. There’s even a certain spooky film about it, which you can find on the PrymitywnaKuchnia YouTube channel.

At a glance:

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Serves: easily enough for 4 – 5 generous portions of soup

Calories: wholesome fare, not a word to share with that mother-in-law who gives you a glare (a bit of doggerel 😉

Ingredients for a delicate, smooth courgette soup:

• 1 large courgette
• 1 medium carrot
• half a medium onion
• 2 tablespoons of red lentils
• 4 small potatoes
• 2 cloves of young garlic (perfect in spring)
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• a 1 cm piece of ginger
• 2 litres of vegetable stock (I took the easy option and used stock cubes)
• mixed peppercorns (whole)
• half a bunch of fresh parsley
• salt

Recipe for a very spring-like smooth soup:

I made vegetable stock from cubes (I dissolved two vegetable stock cubes in 2 litres of water). To the gently simmering stock, I added the peeled piece of ginger and two cloves of fresh garlic (peeled and lightly crushed to release their aroma).

While the stock was simmering, I peeled the vegetables (potatoes, carrot and onion) and washed them thoroughly. I diced the onion and added it to the stock. Next I added the sliced carrot and potatoes. Finally, I added the chopped courgette (I cut it in half, then sliced it). I added a few mixed peppercorns (these determine how spicy the soup will be, so I suggest following your own taste) and a pinch of salt.

I simmered it for about 20 minutes. Then I added 2 fairly heaped tablespoons of red lentils. I cooked it for another 10 – 12 minutes. After that, I took the soup off the “heat” and waited 5 minutes for it to cool a little. I blended it thoroughly with a blender. I threw in about 20 fresh basil leaves and blended it again. The soup is ready.

Serve it with whatever you fancy; I’m eating mine on its own after the excesses of the May holiday weekend. Enjoy!