One of London Personal Chef’s favourite soups.

Ingredients:

3 eggplants

2 garlic cloves

225gr soft goat cheese or labne

1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock

200gr whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Method:

Reheat the stock gently.

Grill eggplant over a charcoal fire for 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently. Alternatively, slice the eggplants in half,  score them gently  and place on centre shelf in a hot oven and cook until soft and a caramelised  light brown colour on the surface.

Cool slightly.

Pell off and pound in a mortar with pestle to a puree or place in a blender or food processor and puree.

Crush the garlic to a paste with a 1 teaspoon salt and add to the eggplant.

Add the eggplant mixture to the hot stock and blend it.

Adjust with salt and pepper.

Whisk the cheese with half of the whipping cream .

Beat the other half of the cream to a soft peak and fold gently into the cheese and first half whipping cream mixture.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and topped generously with the goat cheese mousse.

I have served the soup at different occasions at dinner parties, private functions and family dinners.