Chill Out with Soup!

More than just Gazpacho…

Our first cold soup is mostly comprised of tomatoes and cucumbers, and comes from the southern region of Spain called Andalusia.  This cold soup is made of raw, blended vegetables, traditionally including bell pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil and vinegar … but there are hundreds of modern variations.  The chunkiness of gazpacho is a matter of personal taste – most people leave a little texture, but it can be blended smooth or the ingredients pulsed only briefly.

Ajo blanco is another cold Spanish soup, this one made with almonds and garlic; bread is used to thicken and make it creamier.  Ajo means garlic, and blanco, of course, is white. Vegans take note – both these soups are traditionally vegan friendly.

Vichyssoise may be one of the most fun foods to pronounce:  vish-ee-SWAH. This potato leek soup is cooked and pureed, then cooled down and served cold.  This soup is traditionally made richer with cream and chicken stock. The name pays homage to the Vichy region of France.

Now for  saltibarsciai (shalt-eh-barsh-chay).  This Lithuanian soup might be familiar in another guise; it is a cold version of the beet puree soup borscht, prepared with a sour milk product – for instance, yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream.  When prepared this way, the distinctive red of borscht turns a vivid magenta pink.

---

Watermelon Gazpacho

4 cups cubed watermelon, seeded, divided

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

Puree 3 cups watermelon in a blender. Cut remaining watermelon into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon puree, lime juice, lime zest, ginger and salt. Stir in the tomato, cucumber, green pepper, cilantro, onion, jalapeno and cubed watermelon. Chill until serving.