Fast Scratchy from Fiefhusen

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• ½ cucumber(s), organic
• 1 large vine tomato(s)
• 1 avocado(s), ripe
• 1 organic lime(s), juice and zest
• 1 bunch parsley, flat, organic
• 1 chili pepper(s), red, hot, organic
• 3 large garlic cloves, fresh
• 1 tbsp, heaped tomato paste
• 1 sprig(s) of thyme, fresh
• 5 sage leaves, fresh
• 1 rosemary sprig(s), fresh
• 1 spring onion(s)
• 1 liter vegetable broth, strong
• 1 shot of olive oil, virgin
• e.g. sea salt
• Pepper from the mill
• brown sugar
• e.g. arugula for the topping
• Rapeseed oil for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

Spicy cold vegetable soup with double oomph

Note: I use organic products for the cucumber, chili, and lime because we also use the peel. Wash, trim, and roughly chop all the vegetables and herbs and put them in a blender. Score the skin of the tomato crosswise from the base of the stem to the tip and blanch it in boiling water for two minutes. Remove the tomato, rinse under cold running water, and simply peel off the skin. Cut out the base of the stem, roughly chop it, and add it to the blender. Now add a generous splash of olive oil, the tomato paste, and 300 ml of cold vegetable stock, and blend everything thoroughly and finely. It should first take on a firmer consistency and then be seasoned to taste. I jokingly called the soup “Kratzpatscho” (scratch patcho) because you want more than just a slight tickle on the palate. If the heat isn’t quite there yet, carefully add more chili and blend again. Season with sea salt and pepper. A little brown sugar really rounds off the flavor. If necessary, increase the acidity with a little lime juice. The soup can still be a little overseasoned, as it will still be slightly diluted. Basically, everyone can adjust the seasoning to their own personal taste; just work it up slowly. Transfer the soup from the blender to a sufficiently large pot and adjust it to the desired consistency with more vegetable stock. We like it a little thicker and more velvety. Chill now and whisk briefly again before serving, or use a hand blender for a moment. Deep-fry the arugula in hot rapeseed oil (160°C) until crispy, drain on kitchen paper, and top the soup with fresh ciabatta, flatbread, or baguette, and a dry white wine.