Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
- 100 g of flaked almonds
- 4 courgettes, cut into rounds
- 1 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
- 1200 ml of stock, vegetable or chicken
- 1 tsp of smoked paprika, mild or hot (depending on your preference)
- 2 red onions, sliced
Method
Step 1
In a medium sauce pan, heat up the oil and fry the onions with a pinch of salt on a medium heat until they start to soften, about 7 minutes. Keep stirring making sure the onions don’t colour too much or start sticking to the pan.Step 2
Add the garlic and carry on cooking for another 5 minutes.Step 3
Add the courgettes and bay leaves.Step 4
Cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally and add the water or stock.Step 5
Bring to a simmer and cook on a low heat, covered, for a further 20 minutes.Step 6
Meanwhile, coat the almonds in a little olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt and a small amount of paprika over them.Step 7
Toast the almonds under a grill making sure they brown evenly, they mustn’t get too dark or they will be bitter, just a little colour will do.Step 8
When the courgettes have softened, discard the bay leaves, add the parsley and blend the soup until smooth. The soup should be fairly thick, you can thin it down with water or milk if you wish.Step 9
Taste and season accordingly.Step 10
Serve in individual bowls with the flaked almonds on top, a little extra paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.