SOUP OF THE MONTH
Buying zucchini at the farmers' market every summer is an
experience in restraint....but I almost always lose and buy way too many
summer squash - both green and yellow varieties than we can consume!
If you have a garden that produces pounds and pounds of zucchini each
summer, you have an even bigger problem of how to eat or pawn off on
your neighbors, the many many pounds of zucchini that even one plant
produces!
What to do with all of the zucchini wherever it comes
from? Here's a delicious cold soup that uses green or yellow
squash or a combination of both. On it's own with a salad and
crusty bread you have a light and satisfying luncheon - on the patio if
it's not too hot and humid! The soup has lots of other flavors
incorporated into it such as carrot, celery, onion and chopped fresh
dill. The recipe serves 8 - of course depending on the size of
your soup bowls!
Chilled Squash Soup
| 2 tablespoons |
vegetable oil |
| 1 medium |
onion, chopped |
| 2 ribs |
celery, chopped |
| 1 medium |
carrot, peeled and chopped |
| 4 zucchini (approx. 6" long) |
yellow or green , cut into ½-inch
cubes |
| 1 medium |
red skin potato, peeled, diced
|
| 2¼ cups |
chicken stock* |
| 2¼ cups |
beef stock* |
| 3 tablespoons |
chopped fresh dill |
| ½ cup |
heavy cream (or substitute fat free
half & half) |
|
salt & freshly ground pepper |
| 1 teaspoon |
Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton) |
|
Sprigs of fresh dill,
for garnish |
1. Heat oil in a 6 Qt. soup pot over medium heat. Add onion,
celery and carrot; cook until tender about 4 minutes. Add squash,
potato, stocks and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover
and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
2. Purée soup in a blender in small batches and transfer each batch
to a large mixing bowl. Add dill, cream, salt, and pepper and smoked
paprika. Let cool before covering and refrigerating until chilled, at
least 2 hours. Taste soup for seasoning (chilling will dull-down the
seasoning) and correct with more salt/pepper or paprika. Ladle soup into
chilled cups or bowls and garnish each serving with a sprig of fresh
dill.
Yield: about 8 servings
*You can substitute a strong vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup
