Chilled Chayote Soup with Cilantro Crema Fresca

Ingredients

• 3 chayotes, roughly diced
• 1 Spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, sliced to about 1/2 cup
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon toasted ground fennel seed
• 2 bunches cilantro
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup crema fresca or creme fraiche
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add chayote, onion and leek and boil until the chayote is tender, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. In a food processor puree the chayote mixture and add chicken stock, cream, fennel seed, and season, to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until later.

In a food processor puree until smooth the cilantro with 1/2 cup of water. In a bowl mix the cilantro paste with the crema fresca thoroughly and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place chayote soup in a serving bowls and place a dollop of crema fresca on top.