Chilled Cucumber Soup
During the winter months in Minnesota they have a PIP meter (pain in the posterior) that measures all nature of weather related suffering. I think it’s time that we in the southern climes come up with similar yardstick for summer.
Something like: the number of consecutive days that the thermometer reaches above 90° and the humidity levels never dip below 80%. Or how fast does makeup melt off of your face?
As I write this at 4:30 p.m. , the temperature is 91° with the feels like at 102°. Suffocatingly hot and sticky. This is no time to cook!
INGREDIENTS
FOR CUCUMBER SOUP
- 2 hot house cucumbers English, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro stems and leaves
- 1/2 lb silken tofu
- 6 ounces vegetable broth
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons white wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR PICO DE GALLO
- 1 large ripe tomato , seeded and finely diced
- 1/4 cup white onion finely diced
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- additional English cucumber very thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a blender, combine all ingredients for the soup. Puree until smooth. Refrigerate at least two hours to chill before serving. Season to taste.
- In a small bowl combine tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt accordingly. Chill two hours before serving for flavors to develop.
- To serve, ladle cold soup into chilled bowls. Float one or two slices of cucumber on the soup and carefully spoon pico de gallo over the soup and sliced cucumber. Be careful so that the garnish doesn't plop to the bottom, but rests gently on top. Enjoy!
Full Recipes>>Chilled Cucumber Soup