Strawberry soup
The Sun King in all his splendour, Louis XIV, apparently loved this soup. So do we, although some guests may find a chilled fruit soup strange, so if you know they are picky eaters, it may not be right for them. This recipe is particularly fresh and tasty, without any dairy products in it.
Mix a cup of dry white wine with ⅓ cup of sugar, and bring to the boil. Add 3 cups of chopped strawberries - buy them when they’re in season and full of flavour. Forced strawberries don’t have a rich enough flavour to do this soup justice. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Push the mixture through a sieve to produce a thick purée. You can process it but I prefer to sieve because it removes the seeds and results in a smoother purée.
Stir in one cup of pure orange juice, and refrigerate until quite cold. Serve garnished with a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh mint.
Vegan, gluten free
Recipe taken from Susie Kelly's The Lazy Cook (Book One): Quick & Easy Meatless Meals, published June 2015, ISBN 9780993092251
Paperback UK, £7.99 Waterstones, Amazon
Paperback US $11.99 Barnes & Noble, Amazon
and to order from all good bookshops worldwide