Missed cooking the chef challenge and zucchini basil soup

It it some time here I have been posting something, lately I got all busy with different things forgetting my blog and missing another cooking the chef  challenge. This month the chosen chef was Joan Roca, a Spanish Michelin stars chef and owner of the El Celler de Can Roca restaurant. Even though I missed to publish my post in time to participate in the challenge, I am still going to share the recipe with you today, as the dish I have been choosing was so delicious and so easy to do... And how cool is it to tell your guests or your family that you actually prepared a dish from one of the best Michelin stars chefs....

 Zucchini is one of my favourite vegetables and I have been preparing it in many different ways, but never as soup. As soon as I saw the recipe I knew this is a soup I would like to taste. This vibrant green colour, the creaminess and this remarkable taste of basil is simple amazing. The soup taste light and refreshing and in the same time creamy and rich...

Crema de calabacin al pesto

• 600 g zucchini
• 100 ml water
• 200 ml double cream
• 100 g mascarpone cheese
• 40 g pine nuts
• Salt and pepper

• 50 ml olive oil
• fresh basil leaves

Prepare the pesto. In a blender blitz together basil leaves and olive oil. Wash and cut the zucchini in small equal cubes. Put the zucchini cubes in a cooking pot and add water, salt and pepper, close with the lid. Let the water come to the boil, put down the hit a bit and let the zucchini cook, with lid closed, for 2 minutes. Meanwhile prepare a bigger pot with ice cold water, where you could fit it your cooking pot with zucchini. Take the zucchini from the heat, strain the water (in a separate bowl, you might need it later) put the pot into the ice cold water and puree the zucchini with a stick blender. Pour in the double cream and give it another couple if twist. If you like the consistency of the soup you can stop here, if not you ca add some of the remaining water which you did save from the previous step.

Serve the soup with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, your pre-made basil pesto, fresh basil leaves and roasted pine nuts.

Enjoy!