This is a delicious little cold velouté for an aperitif or a starter on a hot summers day. It looks delicious and is also very handsome presented in a little glass or bowl with a sliced bread finger alongside. Just enough to get the appetite going.

Recipe:

• About 20 ripe soft apricots
• 2 TBSP of thyme honey or flower honey
• a bunch of fresh thyme
• fleur de sel
• Freshly ground pepper
• Olive oil
• A few sprigs of fresh chives
• TBSP crème fraiche(optional)
• Fresh cream for décoration

1. Heat the oven to 200 degr C
2. Wash and dry and break the apricots in half and remove the pit.
3. Place them snug in an oven proof dish.
4. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and the honey, sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper.
5. Scrape the leaves off the stems of the thyme and sprinkle over the apricots. Spread a few branches on top of the apricots.
6. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, until very tender. Take care not to burn the apricots.
7. Remove from the oven, remove the thyme branches and let cool to room temperature.
8. Mix with a handblender until liquid and pass through fine sieve to get a smooth veloute.
9. Add a bit of creme fraiche and blend.(optional)
10. Keep in the fridge until cold.
11. Serve in a pretty small glass or bowl, swirl a tsp of cream and olive oil on the top, add a sprig of chive and a turn of the pepper mill.
12. Serve cold with a toasted bread finger on the side. (optional)

Pinch of salt:

• Use thyme honey or flower honey.
• Softer apricots are more flavourful.
• Replace the thyme with sprigs of rosemary., in which case you will use flower honey.
• Make sure to blend in all the juices from the roasted apricots.
• Sauté a chopped shallot and add to the apricot mixture as a more savory option.
• The soup can be prepared a few hours in advance and kept in the fridge until serving.
• Passing the apricots through a sieve is improtant to get a nice smooth velouté.

Serves 6 a amuse bouche and 4 as starter