cold cucumber soup

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Wearing the diamond of the sea, bustled up as tightly as Rose, a crooked toothed British Queen rests in her garden awaiting tea time. A white cloth umbrella overhead; a lace fan gently wafts air upon her pale face while seven little Chihuahuas play at her feet.

Tea is served. She nibbles on scones and takes dainty spoonfuls of cucumber potage all the while secretly sipping a pimm’s cup instead of herbal grey tea.

Or at least that’s whom I imagined eating my ‘Cold Cucumber Soup’ as I peeled, chopped, sliced and seeded for merely two hours. I actually didn’t mind the cumbersome prep time – it was the perfect opportunity to work on my less than graceful knife skills.

Once the knife work was complete all it took was five minutes in the blender and a two-hour chill in the refrigerator before the summery soup was ready to be sprinkled with chives and served.

With bursts of refreshing flavor and a slight kick, this soup is so wonderful that I can hear Emeril patting himself on the back for his creation claiming that it is in fact “fit for a queen.”

How to: Cold Cucumber Soup

You will need:
6 pounds cucumbers (about 6 cucumbers), peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (12 cups)
2 yellow bell peppers, stem and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
3 to 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups plain yogurt (I used low fat)
3 cups sour cream, divided ( I used low fat)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1. Prepare all of your ingredients. Peel, seed (I sliced the cucumbers in half and removed seeds with a spoon) and coarsely chop 12 cucumbers, stem, remove and coarsely chop 2 yellow bell peppers, chop 4 green onions, mince 2 jalapenos (I only used one since I wanted it less spicy), finely chop 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chop 1 tablespoon of mint, finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh dill, mash 3-4 garlic cloves into a paste with 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a bowl.

2. Add 2 teaspoons Essence, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 3 cups plain yogurt, 2 cups sour cream, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar to your large bowl.

3. Working in batches, puree the ingredients in a blender until very smooth.

4. Transfer the soup to the refrigerator until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

5. Serve the soup, with each bowl garnished with a dollop of the remaining sour cream and some of the minced chives. I didn’t snap a pic of the soup plated but found this one online. Such a cute presentation!

Edited by: Tali Catz
Photo: sustainabletable flickr
Recipe: Emeril via Food Network