Leek Cucumber and Lettuce Chilled Summer Soup

This pretty, green and light chilled soup makes a great start to a summer meal.

Ingredients:

50g unsalted butter

2 leeks (white only) sliced

1 large floury potato, peeled and cut into chunks

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

2 cucumbers, peeled and cubed

2 little gem lettuces, shredded

50ml double cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Chopped chives to garnish

Method:

Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the leeks until soft.

Add the potato and stack, bring to the boil and simmer until the potato is almost cooked.

Add the cucumber and lettuce and simmer for 4 minutes.

Remove the potato with a slotted spoon and rub it through a sieve into a bowl.

Strain the veg, reserving the liquid, then puree in a blender along with a little stock until smooth.

Tip everything back into the pan and stir in the cream.

Season to taste and chill for a couple of hours.

Serve sprinkled with chopped chives.