Cold almond soup

Cold almond soup. Photograph: Alan Betson
Cold almond soup. Photograph: Alan Betson
Course: Starter
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 75g breadcrumbs made of white bread
  • 275g blanched almonds
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 500ml water
  • Salt
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • small bunch seedless white grapes, halved

Soak the breadcrumbs in a little cold water and then squeeze out the excess. In a food blender, blitz the almonds until very fine – you can soak them first in water to plump them out a bit. Add the garlic, moist breadcrumbs and olive oil. Gradually add the water, all the time having the blender on slow or pulse. When this is done, put the mixture through a sieve, to make it super-smooth, almost creamy. Season the soup with salt and sherry vinegar, and serve with the halved grapes scattered on top and a drizzle of your best olive oil.

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a chef and food writer