Chilled Lettuce Soup Recipes

CHILLED LETTUCE SOUP

Steps:

• Put butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; when it melts, add onion and sweat for about 2 minutes or until it begins to soften; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add all but a couple of handfuls of the lettuce to the pan, reserving the rest for garnish, and cook until it wilts. Add stock, turn the heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil; lower heat to medium and cook until lettuce is very soft, about 5 minutes.
• Put cooked lettuce in a blender and add 2 cups of ice water. Purée mixture until smooth, then put in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Once soup is chilled, add cream or half-and-half to taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finely chop reserved lettuce and put about 1/4 cup in each bowl and ladle soup on top. Garnish with croutons or bacon.

CUCUMBER, PEA & LETTUCE SOUP

Steps:

• Boil 1.4 litres water in a kettle. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the spring onions for 5 mins, stirring frequently, or until softened. Add the cucumber, lettuce and peas, then pour in the boiled water. Stir in the bouillon, cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the vegetables are soft but still bright green.
• Blitz the mixture with a hand blender until smooth. Serve hot or cold, topped with yogurt (if you like), with rye bread alongside.

LETTUCE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook onion mixture and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coriander, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in potato, lettuce, and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer to a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Bring soup to a simmer, then whisk in remaining tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste.

CHILLED LETTUCE BUTTERMILK SOUP

Steps:

• Pour buttermilk and half-and-half into large bowl or saucepan.
• In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add onion, increase heat to medium-high and sauté until softened.
• Add garlic, stirring, and then lettuce strips. Sauté for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, until lettuce is wilted.
• Stir lettuce strips, parsley, dill and pea puree into buttermilk mixture, then blend with an immersion blender.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least three hours or overnight.
• To serve, ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with dill.

CHILLED PEA, LETTUCE AND HERB SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the peas, lettuce and stock or water, and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer five minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl, and allow the vegetables and the broth to cool for 15 minutes. Taste the broth, and season as desired.
• Working in batches, purée the vegetables and herbs in a blender with the broth and additional olive oil for two minutes until frothy and smooth. Pour into a bowl, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill for several hours.
• Serve, garnishing with additional chives, tarragon and/or mint.

CHILLED SUMMER LETTUCE, LOVAGE AND GARDEN PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Sweat the spring onions in the oil or butter until soft, then add the peas and lettuce. Pour over two-thirds of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
• Remove from the heat and add the lovage leaves then blend the soup with a hand blender or in a liquidiser. Thin the soup to your preferred texture with the remaining stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place the soup in a container and chill in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours. Serve chilled with chopped lovage leaves and a swirl of cream.

LETTUCE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion for 5-6 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown, stirring regularly.
• Add the lettuce and potatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and blitz using a stick blender until smooth. If the soup is a little thick, add a splash of just-boiled water. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.
• Ladle into warmed bowls and, if you like, top with swirls of cream and chopped herbs.

CREAMY CHILLED BASIL, PEA & LETTUCE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook the peas in boiling water for 3 mins. Drain and cool with cold running water. Put the peas, basil, lettuce, vegetable stock and 3⁄4 of the crème fraîche together in a blender and process until smooth. Do this in two batches. Season, cover and chill for at least 1 hr before serving. Add a swirl of remaining crème fraîche and serve.