Creamy Cucumber Velouté

• BASIC-EASY
• MAKE-AHEAD
• VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1. 1 pound European cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2. 3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
3. 1/4 cup water
4. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5. Pinch of curry powder
6. Pinch of cayenne pepper
7. 2 teaspoons crème fraîche or sour cream
8. Salt and freshly ground white pepper
9. 1/4 cup heavy cream
10. 16 small mint leaves

1. In a blender, combine the cucumbers, yogurt, water, lemon juice, curry powder and cayenne and puree until very smooth. Blend in the crème fraîche. Strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the velouté with salt and white pepper and refrigerate until chilled.
2. In a medium bowl, gently whip the cream. Season with salt and white pepper and chill. Just before serving, stir the velouté and pour it into 8 small glasses or demitasse cups. Garnish each serving with a heaping teaspoon of the whipped cream and 2 mint leaves.