This is a sublimely tasting, vibrant green soup, bursting with Italian flavour with its basil, garlic and olive oil.  It can be served chilled in Summer.  Thank you for the inspiration, Otto Ottolenghi!

Ingredients (serves 8)
75ml olive oil
1 head of garlic, cloves separate and peeled
6 courgettes, chopped into 3cm-thick slices
1l vegetable stock
500ml water
500 frozen peas
50g basil leaves
2 tsps salt
Freshly ground pepper

To serve:
Either 200g feta broken into 1cm pieces, and the zest of 1 lemon
Or 200g thinly sliced pancetta (or streaky bacon if you can’t get hold of pancetta), baked in the oven until crispy

Method

Add the oil to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until smoking slightly.  Add courgettes and garlic and cook, turning intermittently, for about 5 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Add stock and water and bring to the boil, then cook at a simmer for a further 7 minutes.  You don’t want to cook too long otherwise the courgettes lose their green-ness.  Add the peas and stir through for a minute or so, bringing back to the boil.  Add the basil, leaves roughly torn.  Then remove from the heat and blitz with a stick blender.  Serve in warmed bowls and garnish with the feta and lemon, or crispy pancetta. Mmmmmm.