1¼ pounds new potatoes

4 cups light vegetable broth or Basic Chicken Broth (see recipe on page 3)

1 lemon

2 avocados

¼ teaspoon cumin or curry powder

Fresh cilantro (optional)

• Quarter the potatoes. Place them in a large saucepan covered with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, chill the chicken broth and peel and coarsely chop the avocados. Juice the lemon and chop the cilantro, reserving some leaves.

• When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and put the potatoes into a large bowl or soup pot; discard the cooking liquid. Add the avocados, broth, lemon juice, and cumin (or curry). Using a blender or food processor, purée the mixture. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and serve.

Pitting an Avocado

For both types of avocado, start by cutting through the skin, down to the pit, and scoring the fruit lengthwise. Gripping both halves, give a quick twist to separate one half from the pit, leaving the other half holding that large nut. If you plan to use only half of the avocado, it's best to leave the pit in the unused portion, since it prevents the fruit from turning brown overnight. To remove the pit, hack into the middle of it with the blade of your knife, gripping the fruit in the palm of your other hand; twist the knife clockwise to loosen the pit. It should fall right out of a ripe avocado.

Serves 6

Two varieties of avocado are available. One type has smooth green skin; the other has darker pebbled-textured skin.