Cool Minted Onion Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

•  1 ½ cups of crust free, coarsely chopped white bread chunks
• 1 cup of packed mint leaves
• ½ cup of packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 large mild onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 pickling cucumbers (kirby), peeled, seeded and quartered.
• 1 small Iceberg lettuce, cut into chunks
• ½ tablespoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon finely ground white pepper
• 3 tablespoons of champagne vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Water to desired thickness

Directions

1. Place the bread chunks in a large bowl and cover with water.  Leave the bread to soak.
2. Place the mint, parsley and garlic in a food processor and mince.  Add the onion chunks, peeled, seeded and quartered cucumbers and lettuce chunks to the processor.  Blend to a puree and season with salt and pepper.
3. Drain the water from the bread and gradually add the soaked bread to the food processor while it is running.  Process until the soup is smooth.  Continue to keep the motor running and add the vinegar.  Add the two oils in a slow and steady stream.  Gradually add water until the soup is slightly thicker than desired as it will thin out when strained.
4. Season again to taste by adding more mint, salt, vinegar and oil.  If the soup is to be chilled for several days, over season to compensate for the chilling process
5. Push the soup through a strainer in to a clean bowl.  Do this in batches and press down on the solids for the best flavour.
6. Season again to taste, cover and chill for 4 –12 hours