Chilled Cucumber Soup With Champagne Poached Prawns - Or Shrimps

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 1 leek, sliced
• 600 g desiree potatoes, peeled, diced
• 1 liter chicken stock
• 3 (500 g) lebanese cucumbers, trimmed, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
• 2 tablespoons champagne or 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 12 medium green prawns, peeled, deveined or 12 medium perhaps twice this number of smaller shrimp
• fresh ground black pepper, to serve
• extra virgin olive oil, to serve
• fresh dill (optional) or fresh parsley, to serve (optional)

Recipe

• 1 melt the oil with the butter in a large, deep pan over a medium heat; add the leek and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until it has softened soft; add the potato and chicken stock and bring the stock slowly to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potato is soft; transfer to a large bowl and cool.
• 2 when cool, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold; add the lebanese cucumber and minced garlic to the soup mixture; using a hand-held stick blender or food processor, process the mixture until a thick smooth soup forms; cover, and refrigerate until required.
• 3 put the extra oil, the champagne or vinegar and the prawns in a medium heavy-based pan, bring slowly to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the prawns turn orange; divide the prawns between 4 bowls (reserving several if using smaller shrimp rather than prawns) and season with pepper; ladle the soup into the bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add any reserved shrimps and a sprig of dill or parsley and serve.