Cream of courgette soup with honey-roasted feta and black truffle

Give an elegant twist to the classic cream of courgette soup recipe with these honey-roasted feta cheese cubes topped with a drizzle of truffle oil and slivers of black truffle. This recipe is perfect as a starter or appetizer.

Preparation time: 25 minutes • Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

• 4 medium-sized courgettes
• 200 g (7 oz) feta cheese
• 20 g (0.7 oz) summer truffle honey
• 5 cl (3.5 tbsp) olive oil & black truffle
• 1 extra whole black truffle
• Black truffle fleur de sel

Method

For the cream of courgette soup

1. Wash and slice the courgettes (keep the skin to get a nice green colour).
2. Fry the courgettes with a drizzle of olive oil for 3 minutes, then cover with water and cook for about 15 minutes over a medium/high heat.
3. Once the courgettes are cooked, drain (set the cooking water aside to use for thinning the soup if needed) and blend until smooth.
4. Add a drizzle of crème fraiche and/or knob of butter to taste. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

For the feta cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Cut the feta cheese into cubes.
3. Swirl in some summer truffle honey and black truffle olive oil.
4. Cook for about 10/15 minutes, keeping an eye on it, until the feta cheese is golden brown.
5. Remove the feta cheese from the oven and set aside.

To serve

1. Cut the black truffle into thin strips.
2. Serve the cream of courgette soup on bowls and top with the honey-roasted feta cheese. Add a drizzle of black truffle olive oil and sprinkle with black truffle fleur de sel and slivers of black truffle on top.
3. Serve immediately.

Photographs: Aimery Chemin • Culinary stylism: Coralie Ferreira