This is a really unusual and wonderfully refreshing summer soup that makes use of the radish leaves as well as the roots. Don't worry if you have only leafless radishes: rocket or watercress can stand in. Serves four as a starter.

Ingredients:-

• About 20 radishes and their leaves (or 20 radishes plus two good handfuls of rocket or watercress)
• 12 mint leaves, plus extra to serve
• 250ml vegetable stock, chilled
• 1 small dessert apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tbsp creme fraiche
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:-

• Set aside two of the radishes. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, plunge in the radishes, their leaves (or the rocket or watercress) and the mint, cook for just a minute, then drain. Refresh immediately by plunging them into a bowl of cold water, or running them under the cold tap in a colander.
• Put the blanched radishes, leaves and mint in a food processor with the stock, apple, creme fraiche, cayenne and some salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste, add more salt and pepper as needed, and chill.

Note:-

Serve the soup cold, garnished with slices of the reserved raw radishes and a little shredded mint.