Warm Zucchini Velouté

Some recipes begin with a technique. This one began with the color and texture of a bowl I kept thinking about after lunch.

At Ferme-Asile in Sion, a contemporary art and culture centre with a restaurant terrace among orchard trees, I tasted a cold velouté courgette-verveine: zucchini and lemon verbena soup. It was pale green, thick enough to feel generous, and exceptionally delicate.

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Switzerland and Austria hold a special place in my culinary world. The quality of the ingredients and the closeness to nature are part of it, but consistency may matter most of all in a restaurant. Some of the best classic Italian and French food I have eaten has been in Switzerland or Austria.

Ferme-Asile stayed with me for that same reason. Art, food, and a beautiful fruit tree garden felt completely at ease together. Back home, I turned the idea into a warm, easy, one-pot soup for lunch or dinner.

A quiet soup, and what to put on it

I topped the photographed bowl with seared scallops because they looked beautiful against the green. After tasting the finished plate, though, I think the delicate zucchini is even better with no protein at all. If you want to make it more substantial, simply roasted chicken breast is a gentler companion.

The photographed version also has fresh peas, crisp fried leek, and a little chili oil. They make a beautiful plate, but for an everyday lunch or dinner the soup needs very little beyond good olive oil and black pepper.

Cadre Nomade recipe

Warm Zucchini Velouté

A silky, one-pot zucchini soup inspired by the zucchini and lemon verbena velouté at Ferme-Asile in Sion.

Scale recipe

½× 1× 2× 3×

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Makes

4 lunch portions or 6 starters

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

20 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

For the zucchini velouté

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 15 g unsalted butter
• 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 kg zucchini, about 2.2 lb, roughly chopped
• 350 ml light vegetable or chicken stock, plus more if needed
• 80 ml heavy cream
• 6 to 8 fresh lemon verbena leaves, optional
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• Fine salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

Optional additions

• 12 large scallops or sliced roasted chicken breast, optional

Method

1. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the leek, onion, and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add the zucchini and another pinch of salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and beginning to soften.
3. Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the zucchini is completely tender. Do not overcook it or the color will dull.
4. If using lemon verbena, remove the pot from the heat, add the leaves, cover, and infuse for 5 minutes. Remove the leaves.
5. Add the cream and blend directly in the pot with an immersion blender until very smooth. Add a little more stock only if needed. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Keep warm over very low heat without boiling.
6. Ladle the warm velouté into shallow bowls and finish simply with good olive oil and black pepper. Serve as it is, or add roasted chicken. If using scallops, pat them very dry, season just before cooking, and sear in a very hot oiled pan for about 90 seconds on the first side and 45 to 60 seconds on the second.

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Recipe and photographs by Karolina. Inspired by the zucchini and lemon verbena velouté tasted at Ferme-Asile in Sion, Switzerland.