Green soup with hazelnuts
This fiery soup is the perfect start to a Mexican-inspired dinner party; serve with a shot of tequila. Salud!
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 green jalapeño chillies, finely chopped
- 1 thick slice stale bread, crusts removed and finely chopped
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 100g/3½ oz roasted and skinned hazelnuts
- 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
- 500g/1lb2oz spinach
- 250g/9oz watercress
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping
- 1 soft tortilla, cut into strips
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 baby corn, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, peeled , stoned and thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juice only
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
- 50g/2oz crumbled cheddar or feta
- 1 tbsp soured cream
Method
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeño chillies and fry gently for 3–4 minutes, until softened. Add the bread, cayenne pepper, hazelnuts, chicken stock, spinach and watercress. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the greens have softened.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Fry the tortilla strips in a tablespoon of olive oil, until golden and crisp. Drizzle the baby corn in some olive oil and grill for 2 minutes, until slightly charred.
Mix together the baby corn, avocado, jalapeño chilli, lime juice, spring onion and cheese. Spoon the soup into four bowls, top with the mixture, tortilla strips and soured cream and serve.