Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup

If you sometimes feel like soup, but don't want a labor intensive, slaving over a hot oven type of meal, this chilled avocado soup is a great alternative.

It is an easy, refreshing soup to make, and ideal for the warm summer evenings ahead. It doesn't take long, but you need to prepare it several hours in advance of serving so that it has time to chill properly.


Ingredients
(serves 4)

• 1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled
• 1 1/4 cups (about 1 bunch) mint leaves
• Flesh of 2 ripe avocados
• 6 scallions, trimmed
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Generous pinch of chili powder
• 8 oz Greek-style yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable stock
• Ice cubes, to serve

Method

1. Reserve half a peeled cucumber and 1/4 cup mint leaves, then process the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. Transfer to a jug, season to taste with sea salt, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
3. To serve, cut reserved cucumber into small chunks and combine with torn reserved mint leaves.
4. Pour soup among bowls, add a couple of ice cubes to each bowl, and spoon over the cucumber and reserved mint leaves.
   

Hazelnut Crepes with Peaches

If you want to make something really special for Mother's Day brunch on Sunday, these delicious crepes filled with mascarpone, peaches and raspberries are definitely the answer.

However, if you want something a little less elaborate, crepes are not difficult to make, and can be filled with many different fruits and preserves, or served simply with a squeeze of fresh orange juice, and a sprinkle of sugar.

Hazelnut Crepes with Peaches
Makes 12 Crepes, serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground hazelnuts
• 1 cup flour self-rising flour, or all purpose flour to which 1/2 tsp. baking powder has been added
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar (super fine sugar)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/8 cup (20g) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to cook
• icing sugar to dust

For the Filling

• 1lb mascarpone
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 4 peaches
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4 oz raspberries
• 1 tablespoon Frangelico

Method

1. For the crepes, sift ground hazelnuts, flour, cinnamon, sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
   
2. Make a well in the center and gradually whisk in the combined egg and milk to form a smooth batter, then whisk in the butter.
   
3. Cover and stand the batter at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling by combining mascarpone, 1 tablespoon honey and orange zest. Refrigerate until needed.
5. Blanch the peaches in a saucepan of simmering water for 30 seconds, transfer to a bowl with lemon juice, roll to coat in juice, then leave to cool.
6. Peel cooled peaches, halve, remove stones and cut flesh into small pieces.
7. Melt a little extra butter in a small pan over a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the batter, and swirl to coat the base of the pan.
8. Cook over a medium heat until lightly browned underneath. Turn (or toss if you are brave) the pancake, and cook for a further minute or until lightly browned. Repeat with extra butter and batter, stacking the crepes as you make them.
9. Melt a little more butter in a fraying pan and saute the peaches for 1 minute, add raspberries, remaining honey and liqueur, and toss to combine.
10. To serve spread each crepe with 2 tablespoons mascarpone mixture, top with fruit mixture and fold into quarters.
11. Dust liberally with icing sugar.
    

Pomegranate Tea

We have now added Pomi-Berry tea to our range of organic teas, available in the Gourmet Fusion store. Our Two Leaves and a Bud Pomi-Berry is a blend of pomegranate and herbal berry blend.

Research has shown that pomegranate is one of the top foods when it comes to high levels of disease fighting antioxidants.


Our tea blend is a combination of berry blend, forest berries, pomegranate, apple, lavender and hibiscus to create a balanced, sweet but relaxing herbal blend. Finally, chamomile and lemongrass complete the flavor making it a great after-meal tea.

This yummy drink contains no caffeine, and the biodegradable tea sachets are large and mug-sized, so you can steep them in a big mug without losing any of the flavor. Full of leaf herbs, flowers and large fruit pieces, you can watch the leaves open and infuse in your mug.


Available in boxes containing 15 tea sachets, Pomi-berry can be found online and at the Gourmet Fusion store at 240 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach, California.