RECIPES: Cooling in hot weather

Cold Tea

Given to me by Mary Henderson, who wrote a wonderful cookery book, the Paris Embassy Cook Book, and was married to the diplomat Sir Nicholas Henderson [Ambassador to Paris and Washington].
Ingredients:

• 1 litre of strong tea
• juice of 4-6 lemons
• rind of 1 lemon
• rind of 1 orange
• 1 cucumber sliced and peeled
• large sprig of mint
• 115 grams sugar
• 750 ml ginger beer

This is the ultimate luxury iced tea: Earl Grey is the best tea to use.
Put the lemon juice, lemon rind, orange rind, cucumber, mint and sugar in a jug. Pour over the hot tea and stir. When cold, add the ginger beer refrigerate.  Serve in iced glasses.

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Cold Lemon Soup with Mint [serves 6]

Ingredients:

• 1 litre of chicken stock
• 3 egg yolks
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• 250ml of heavy cream
• table spoons of chopped, fresh mint

In a nonreactive soup kettle, bring the chicken stock to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  Add the zest, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper.  Whisk in the cream and slowly add to ladles of hot chicken stock to the egg mixture, a little at a time, whisking continuously.

Reverse the process and add the egg mixture to the remaining stock, a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon for a few minutes over a low heat until the mixture coats the spoon.

Transfer the soup into a large bowl and chill over ice, stirring from time to time to prevent a crust from forming.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve in chilled, soup plates and sprinkle each portion with chopped mint.