It. Is. So. Hot. Like ridiculously hot. Especially for someone who is used to spending the weeks and days before Christmas rushing from one heated store to the next, wrapped up in scarves, gloves and a thick down jacket. Catching-up with friends would happen at a Christmas market where we would sip on hot Gluehwein to warm us from the inside. So this is quite different for me. And I have a hard time feeling christmassy.
For some reason I thought it was a good idea to go to parkrun yesterday morning and do my regular 5km, as I have been doing for the last 6 week. But even at 8am it was so hot already with 30C degrees! When I saw that the mercury was going to reach 41C degrees I knew exactly what I had to make to cool us down. This delicious no-fuss chilled cucumber soup with a smoked salmon salsa and toasted sesame on top to add a bit of texture. I had this years ago in Germany and loved how simple, delicious and light it was.
I hope you're all are staying hydrated, this soup will certainly help! Chilled Cucumber Soup with Smoked Salmon Salsa and Black Sesame (Click here for printable version)
1 large continental cucumber 200g buttermilk 1 tbsp olive oil 20g pickled ginger juice from 1/2 a lemon salt & pepper 1 tbsp black sesame 150g smoked salmon 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 bunch chives
Peel the cucumber, half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using a teaspoon. Chop roughly and place in a blender or food processor (you could also use a stick blender). Add buttermilk, olive oil, ginger and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice (reserve the rest for the salmon). Pulse to combine and then whizz until the soup has a smooth consistency, season to taste. Chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Toast sesame seeds in a small pan over medium heat, be careful to not burn them, it only takes about a minute. Move to a small bowl to cool. To make the salmon salsa, dice the smoked salmon and chop the chives. Mix in a small bowl together with the sesame oil and the remaining lemon juice. To serve divide soup between two bowls and top with the salsa and sesame seeds.
