Chilled Cucumber Soup With Garlic Croutons Recipes

CHILLED CUCUMBER GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Line a sieve with cheesecloth (muslin) and place over a large bowl.
• Spoon the yogurt into the sieve and let drain in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
• Discard the captured liquid and place the yogurt in the bowl.
• Add the grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, mint, chopped dill and milk.
• Mix well.
• Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice.
• Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• Before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into chilled individual bowls and garnish each serving with a cucumber slice and a dill sprig.
• Serve well chilled.
• NOTES: Cucumbers are native to Asia, where they have been eaten for thousands of years.
• They contain a great deal of water, which makes them particularly refreshing in the hot summer months.
• When choosing cucumbers, avoid the waxed variety sold in grocery stores year-round, and instead seek out the long, thin-skinned English or hothouse variety.
• It has a superior flavor, less water and far fewer seeds.
• Three lemon cucumbers can be substituted for the single English (hothouse) cucumber, if you like.

LETTUCE SOUP WITH CUCUMBER CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan, and add scallions. Sauté until softened. Add potatoes to pan, stir well, then add stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
• Add the lettuce to the pan, and stir until it is wilted. Remove from heat, and allow it to cool until no longer steaming. Using a blender and, working in batches, purée soup until it is smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, and add 1/3 cup sour cream and salt to taste. Stir until smooth, and adjust sour cream and salt as needed. If soup is to be served chilled (it may be served at room temperature), cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To serve, ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with chives and cucumber ''croutons.''

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Combine the cucumber and tomatoes in a blender, reserving 1/4 cup of each for garnish. Add the bell pepper, onion, vinegar, 1 teaspoon each dill and parsley, 1 clove garlic and the sugar; puree until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the croutons: Heat the remaining clove garlic with the olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the bread cubes and the remaining 3 teaspoons each dill and parsley. Cook, stirring, until golden and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the garlic.
• Pour the soup into chilled bowls. Dice the reserved cucumber and tomatoes; sprinkle into the soup. Garnish with the croutons.

EASY COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Combine cucumber, sour cream, yogurt, vegetable broth, and garlic in a large bowl; blend together using an immersion blender until smooth. Blend in mint and dill. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Place cucumber, green onions, lemon juice, dill, yogurt, chicken stock, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth; chill at least 1 hour before serving.