Recipe: Chilled Coconut Soup for Jenn

Chilled Coconut Soup

5 cups milk
2 2/3 cups unsweetened dry shredded coconut
1 2/3 cups coconut milk
1 2/3 cups chicken stock
1 scant cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
small bunch cilantro

Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stir in the coconut, lower the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a food processor and process until smooth. This may take a while- up to 5 minutes- so pause frequently and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Rinse the pan to remove any coconut that remains, pour in the processed mixture and add the coconut milk. Stir in the chicken stock (homemade, if possible which gives a better flavor), cream, salt, pepper and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes.

Reserve a few cilantro leaves to garnish, then chop the rest finely and stir into the soup.

Pour the soup into a large bowl, let it cool, then cover and put into the refrigerator until chilled.

Just before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as chilling will alter the taste. Serve in chilled bowls garnished with the cilantro leaves.

Servings: 6