Summer makes me think of wonderful summer harvests, trips to the farmers’ markets, and the delightful feeling of a chilled soup on my palate on a hot day!
There is nothing like the taste of just-picked vegetables and fruits, something that cannot be had from the grocery store. It is worth the extra effort to plant a garden or to buy, at least some of the time, at farmers’ markets. Part of the fun of going to the farmers’ markets is to see the great diversity of produce available, learn new ways of cooking fresh foods, and talk with the farmers while trying to decide what to buy. Whatever area of the country in which you live, you just have to google “farmers’ markets near me,” and up will come a list. Even in the rural area where I live, there are at least three markets within a 25-mile radius.
Eating seasonally, either from your garden (see my prior blog on preparing the garden) or the farmers’ market or from a friend with an overabundance of produce, allows you to experience foods at their peak of flavor. For example, March is asparagus season in my garden. I can stand in the garden and eat a few fresh-picked spears, crispy yet tender and actually sweet, so different from the store-bought variety. I have learned that just a brief heating in the microwave, for 30 to 60 seconds followed by a squirt of fresh lemon juice, is all it needs to be ready for the dinner table. It’s so yummy.
The bonus to an asparagus bed is that, after the first two to three years, it self-maintains and annually produces a bountiful crop with only occasional fertilization or topping the bed with compost.
As I said, summer makes me think of chilled soups. They are prepared in advance, so it saves work time just before a meal. The fruit soups can be served as a first course or as a dessert. You can find recipes for all sorts of chilled soups, but the following ones are favorites of my family, and I hope you enjoy them.
Chilled Avocado Soup
Ingredients
- 3 avocados peeled and quartered
- 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or less
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- If you like it spicy add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 container or 32 ounces vegetable broth
- 1 16-ounce container non-fat Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt (I like the coconut one best - nice and tangy)
Instructions
- Process the avocado and 16 ounces (2 cups) of the broth in a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the next ingredients except for the remaining broth and yogurt. Blend, then scrape.
- Pour into a large bowl. Add the remaining broth and yogurt, mix well. Chill for at least 3 hours.
Chilled Apple and Cherry Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound can sour red pitted cherries
- 2 large apples (crispy ones) pared and sliced into thin wedges
- 1/2 lemon with the rind, sliced very thin and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Drain the cherries, keep the juice, set aside the fruit
- To the drained juice, add enough water to make 3 cups of liquid
- Mix the apple slices, lemon slices and liquid to a medium sauce pan and cook for a short time until the apples are just beginning to become tender
- Blend together the sugar and cornstarch and mix with the cherries, then add to the apple/lemon mixture
- Add the cinnamon
- Cook over medium heat until just thickened and clear
- Cool slightly, then add the almond extract
- Chill 2-3 hours before serving
Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup
Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic put through a garlic press
- 2 teaspoons vinegar (your choice of type but not darkly colored balsamic - pear-infused white balsamic or rice vinegar are my top choices)
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried mint or 1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 16 ounce container non-fat Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt
- 6 Tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Pare cucumbers and slice lengthwise into 6 shafts, remove the seeds if you wish. Slice the shafts crosswise into small 1/8th inch thick slices
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Chill 3 hours before serving. Mix well before serving and garnish with additional chopped mint.
