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| Chilled Summer Soup |
What to do, what to do with the handful of squash and cucumbers in your garden? I was in Atlanta one weekend and went to the farmer's market in my neighborhood. A fellow asked if I wanted a taste of cucumber soup; I was sure I did not. Cucumbers really aren't my cup of tea. However, the tasting cup was just a sip and to be polite, I took it. What a surprise! Though I could taste the cucumber, the flavor was a bit more full bodied and rich than I expected. When the farmer told me how it was made, I couldnt wait to make a batch for myself. I made a batch that afternoon, and took it to a gathering at the lake and it was a huge hit. I packaged individual servings in small jelly jars which I could cap and take in a cooler. Each jar had a spoon tucked into its decorative twine tie; and since we were on a boat, it took away the hassle of serving. It is so easy to make, and it's a delightful, and lovely, way to maximize the nutrients in vegetables because this soup is served raw. I've fine tuned it a bit to be more to my taste and have been selling (out) of the 8 pints I make every Friday night for my Saturday market.
Chilled Summer Soup:
2 cups homemade veggie broth. (
I use this recipe to make mine, only I leave out the mushrooms.)
1/4 onion
1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup of chopped cucumber
1/2 cup of chopped yellow or zucchini squash (I use a blend of both)
1/2 cup avocado
1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp of fresh dill
1 clove garlic
*cayenne to taste: this is the critical ingredient that give the soup a kick of a finish
sea salt
this makes +/- 2 pints
Blend all of the above in a blender until smooth. Don't use a food processor or a Vitamix: it will destroy the texture. You want there to be a little bit of body to it. Chill for at least two hours. Serve with tiny dill sprig on top or a little swirl of yogurt. This raw soup is divine, and a beautiful first course for a summer dinner.
