Serves:6 as a starter
Ingredients
200g blanched almonds
2 thick slices rustic white bread, crusts removed
3 garlic cloves, crushed
200ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 tsp fine sea salt
1-1½ tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
2 big handfuls fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve
4 figs, quartered
Method
1. Dry-toast the almonds in a frying pan for 3 minutes until just tinged gold; set aside to cool. Meanwhile, soak the bread in 500ml cold water.
2. Set aside 8 almonds for garnishing. Put the rest in a high-speed blender and blend on a high speed to a fine powder, then add the garlic and whizz again. Scoop the bread from its water, add to the food processor and blend to a thick paste. Add the oil, salt and vinegar and whizz, scraping down the sides, until totally smooth. Finally, blend in the remaining bread-soaking water and mint.
3. Add more cold water (up to 150 ml) to make a light soup consistency and season, adding more vinegar if needed. Sieve into a bowl, rubbing through any lumps, then chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Slice the reserved almonds lengthways. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the figs, slivered almonds, a trickle of oil and a few small mint leaves. LH
This recipe first appeared in the Harvest section of Waitrose Food, September 2016 issue. Download the Waitose Food app for the full issue
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