There are days when even the thought of turning on the stove feels like a punishment. For such summer middays there is a solution that requires not a minute of cooking: cold avocado cream. Four basic ingredients, one blender and one minute - and on the table you have something that looks restaurant-made, yet is actually among the easiest things you can make.

You need two large, ripe avocados, two tablespoons of lemon juice, about 200 grams of ice, one reduced-fat natural yoghurt, salt, black pepper and half a litre of water. That's all. Halve the avocados, remove the stone, and the flesh together with all the other ingredients goes into the blender. One minute at high speed, until it becomes completely smooth and creamy. If you like, season with a bit more salt and pepper and blend for a few more seconds.

The ice here has a double role. Besides making the cream cold right away, it slows the oxidation of the avocado - the process that otherwise quickly turns the light green colour into an unappealing brown. That is exactly why this cream is best served straight away, freshly made, when both the taste and the colour are at their peak. Lemon juice helps with the same, so don't skip it.

The beauty is that the cream is only a base. Serve it in deep bowls and add whatever you like: avocado cubes, cherry tomatoes halved for a little acidity and sweetness, finely chopped red onion for crunch, or sweetcorn kernels. If you want a fuller meal, boost its protein value with a boiled egg, prawns, canned tuna or pieces of chicken - and you already have a complete summer dinner.

And finally, a trick for the texture: the amount of water and yoghurt decides everything. More liquid means a cream you drink like a cold soup; less liquid and you get something thicker, to eat with a spoon. Top it with fresh mint, a bit of lime, cucumber or a piece of chilli pepper if you want a variation. The whole point is that there is no rule - there is only a blender, a ripe avocado and fifteen minutes of rest from the summer heat.