Zucchini and Pea Soup with Halloumi Fritters, Ras El Hanout and Mint Oil - Chef Recipe by Thomas Pirker

Ingredients

1 kg zucchini
100 g onions
50 g garlic
1/2 tsp chopped thyme
150 ml white wine
1 L milk
50 ml olive oil
Salt to taste

Halloumi Fritters:

80 g sweet corn (pressed out)
40 g zucchini (grated and pressed)
1 egg
2 Tbs plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of cumin
1 tsp lime juice
Pinch of paprika powder
40 g halloumi (grated)
5 mint leaves (finely chopped)
Salt to taste

Ras el Hanout (North African spice mixture):

10 g ground nutmeg
10 g ground coriander
10 g ground cumin
10 g turmeric powder
10 g salt
5 g cinnamon powder
5 g sugar
7 g paprika powder
5 g ground black pepper
5 g cayenne
5 g ground cardamom
5 g all spice

Method

Zucchini Soup:

Peel the zucchini, keep green skin and blanch separately to make a puree out of it.

Cut the zucchini hearts into 2 cm cubes.

Sweat onion and garlic olive oil, add zucchini and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Add white wine and reduce.

Add milk and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Blend the soup until a smooth texture, add salt and correct seasoning.

Zucchini Skin Puree:

Blanch the zucchini skin in salted boiling water, then refresh in ice water.

Blend the zucchini skin with olive oil until smooth.

Ras el Hanout:

Mix all ingredients together.

Halloumi Fritters:

Mix egg and flour together.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Take 1/4 of the mixture and blend finely. Combine remaining mixture with the blended mix.

Make quenelles and deep fry until golden brown.

To Serve:

Bring the soup mix to the boil, remove from the stove and add 2 tsp of green zucchini puree, blend with a hand blender until smooth soup consistency.

Place deep fried halloumi fritters and blanched green peas into a soup bowl, top with a sprinkle of the spice mix and drizzle with mint oil. Serve the soup in a jar separately.

Recipe provided by Katers Restaurant