Jamaican Chilled Avocado Soup with Fresh Ginger and Lime Crema

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 ounce)
• 2 large ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• Salt and freshly grated black pepper

Lime Crema:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions for about 4 minutes, until softened. Add the ginger and continue to cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the avocado, lime juice, and chicken stock and whisk to combine. Simmer soup over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the green onion and transfer the soup to a blender and puree, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. Stir in the half-and-half and salt and pepper, to taste. Chill thoroughly before serving.

To make the lime crema, stir together the sour cream, lime juice, garlic, and salt. When the soup has chilled, garnish each portion with a generous dollop of crema.