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Soup can be a welcome addition to any meal, regardless of the weather. From cool and refreshing to sweet and creamy, soups fit easily into any menu, from appetizers and light entrees to desserts. Here are some recipes to make this summer:

Cold Cucumber and Yellow Pepper Soup

 

With Crab Meat and Chives

2 medium yellow bell peppers

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 3 cups)

2 cups 1-inch cubes honeydew melon

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 fresh jalapeno chili, or to taste, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice, or to taste

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 pound lump crab meat, picked over

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar, or to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, or to taste

 

Heat broiler. Line broiler pan with aluminum foil.

 

Slice top and bottom from each bell pepper. Discard tops and bottoms. Cut each pepper open length-wise and remove core, seeds and membranes. Press peppers flat. Dice 1/4 of one pepper to make about 2 tablespoons; set the 2 tablespoons aside.

 

Place remaining peppers, cut side down, on broiler pan. Broil until skins are charred and black, about 10 minutes. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove charred skins and dice.

 

In a blender, puree peppers, cucumbers, honeydew melon, shallot, jalapeno, yogurt and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Force mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and chill, covered, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

Just before serving, in a small bowl toss crab meat with olive oil, vinegar and salt and black pepper to taste.

 

Divide crab meat mixture among 6 soup bowls, mounding it in center, and ladle soup around it. Sprinkle each serving with finely chopped chives and garnish with reserved diced yellow pepper.

 

Makes 6 servings.

 

Recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine.

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Soup

 

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise

1/2 pound (about 2 small) zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise

1 red onion, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 teaspoon olive oil, or as needed

1 3/4 pounds (about 3 large) tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup water, tomato juice OR vegetable broth

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

 

Heat grill or broiler. Grill or broil bell peppers, skin-side towards flame, until skin is black, 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a paper bag and set aside for 15 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, brush zucchini and onion slices with olive oil and grill or broil, turning occasionally, until well browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Chop coarsely and set aside.

 

Peel broiled peppers. Coarsely chop the yellow pepper and set aside with the reserved zucchini and onion. Place red peppers in a food processor or blender, along with tomatoes, garlic and oregano; puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the water, basil, vinegar and the reserved chopped vegetables.

 

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes. The soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

 

Makes 6 servings.

 

Recipe adapted from Eating Well, July/August 1993.

Grilled Vegetable Soup With Fresh Herbs

 

Oregano, basil and parsley partner with fresh bell peppers, zucchini and asparagus in this grilled vegetable soup.

 

8 asparagus spears, trimmed

2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced, lengthwise

1 zucchini, thickly sliced, lengthwise

1 medium red onion, peeled and thickly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into wide strips

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into wide strips

1 large portobello mushroom

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil OR 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar OR lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano OR 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 bay leaf

8 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Heat grill.

 

In a large bowl, toss asparagus, carrots, zucchini, onion, bell peppers and mushroom with oil. Transfer vegetables to a grill basket.

 

Grill 5 minutes or until vegetables turn golden. Chop vegetables into bite-size cubes.

 

In a large soup pot, combine tomatoes and their juice, basil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, black pepper, salt, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a boil and stir in grilled vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer another 8 minutes.

 

Remove and discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

 

Makes about 8 servings.

 

Recipe from Food Network Canada.

Chilled Asparagus Soup

 

With Creme Fraiche

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-to 2-inch pieces

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock, divided use

1 orange, juiced and zested

Salt

Creme Fraiche (recipe follows) or sour cream, for garnish

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus 5 to 10 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and immediately submerge asparagus in cold water. Drain again. Set aside 4 to 6 asparagus tips.

 

Transfer about 1/4 pound of the asparagus and 1/2 cup of the stock to a blender and puree until smooth. Repeat with remaining asparagus and stock. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in orange juice and zest. Gently stir in remaining stock until soup is the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and chill.

 

Serve chilled soup, garnished with an asparagus tip and creme fraiche or sour cream.

 

Makes 4 to 6 first course servings.

 

Recipe from Amuse-bouche by Rick Tramonto.

Creme Fraiche

 

Creme fraiche is a sour cream-like product commonly used in French cooking. Some specialty stores sell it in the dairy case, but it is easy to make at home.

 

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons buttermilk

 

In a glass or ceramic bowl, stir together cream and buttermilk. Cover and keep at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours, or until mixture is clotted and has the consistency of sour cream.

 

Refrigerate until needed. May be keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

Makes about 2 cups.

Chilled Watermelon-Mint Soup

 

You may be tempted to omit the ground red pepper from this recipe, but the tiny jolt to the taste buds from the heat of the pepper is a wonderful complement to the sweet watermelon and fresh mint.

 

12 cups (1-inch pieces) seeded or seedless watermelon (from about 7 pounds)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups Riesling wine (see note)

1/3 cup granulated sugar PLUS more to taste

2 cups (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves (from about 1 large bunch) PLUS more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne), or to taste

1 cup (1/4-inch) cubes seeded or seedless watermelon

1/2 cup creme fraiche OR sour cream, stirred

 

Working in batches, puree the 12 cups watermelon in processor until smooth. Strain puree into large bowl. Discard solids and transfer 1 cup strained puree to small bowl; cover and chill. Whisk cornstarch into remaining puree.

 

In a large pot, bring wine and the 1/3 cup sugar to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves.

 

Simmer 3 minutes. Add watermelon-cornstarch mixture; bring to boil, whisking. Transfer mixture to bowl; stir in the 2 cups mint. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.

 

Strain soup into another bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in salt and ground red pepper. Add more sugar, if desired. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

 

Whisk reserved 1 cup watermelon puree into soup. Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Mound 2 tablespoons cubed watermelon in center of each bowl. Drizzle soup with creme fraiche. Garnish with mint sprigs.

 

Makes 8 servings.

 

Note: For an alcohol-free version, substitute white grape juice or apple juice for the Riesling.

 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

[Bier Meister]

Great list!

 

 

Amuse-bouche by Rick Tramonto .....one of my favorite books. have it a foot from my comp right now.