Apricot & Cucumber Soup

6 oz Dried apricots

1 1/2 pt Vegetable stock

1 ea Orange, juiced & rind grated

1 md Cucumber

1 md Onion, finely chopped

1 tb Vegetable oil

2 ts Curry powder

Salt & pepper 2 tb Pumpkin seeds, to garnish

Soak the apricots in the stock with the grated orange rind for 2 to 3 hours. Add the orange juice & simemr for 45 minutes. Cut 8 thin slices from the cucumber & reserve for garnish. Peel & roughly chop the remainder. Fry the onion in the oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the curry powder & chopped cucumber & cook for 2 minutes. Puree the apricots with the stock & the cucumber mixture. Return to the pan & heat gently. Season with salt & pepper. Serve the soup garnished with floating slices of cucumber topped with the pumpkin seeds. Black rye bread makes a good accompaniment. Pamela Westland, "Fruit"