Lisa's Culinary Atrocities

Continuing on with my summer-soup-kick—I really wanted to make a raw green soup.  I’ll admit that while making it I got very nervous, and kinda felt like the Jolly Green Giant, but I was relieved when I was met with a lemony, smooth and minty sensation.

I also think this might be really good not live,  with roasted asparagus and steamed spinach…plus it might be more appetizing to those who are freaked out by green soup?  Maybe?  You know who you are.  I see you nodding your head.  I suppose that soup would just have to be called Green Soup…or Roasted Green Vegetable Soup.  Anyway…

I found the original recipe on Wholeliving.com which in turn was from Martha Stewart Living, March 2003.  Below is my version. 

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, not peeled (use it all!)
• 1/2 pound pencil-thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/4 pound spinach, tough stems removed, rinsed well
• 6 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Halve cucumber lengthwise; cut into eighths. Cut asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. Puree asparagus in a blender with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add spinach, scallions, cucumber eighths, and another 1/2 cup water. Blend until thoroughly pureed. Add avocado, mint leaves, and lemon juice; puree until smooth, adding remaining water a little at a time until soup is desired consistency. Add salt, and season with pepper. Scrape down sides of blender with a rubber spatula, and puree 5 seconds more.  Serve immediately. Serves 4

We received a free magazine in the mail called “Mix: 153 Reasons Why We Love Portland in the Summer” that is filled with restaurants, farmers markets, outdoor spots and recipes.  One recipe in particular caught my eye, so I decided to try it out.  Originally by Matthew Card, with my modifications:

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 very small jalapeño chili, seeded and minced (to taste…)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Sea salt

2 organic oranges, peeled and separated

4-5 organic radishes, sliced

1 large organic avocado, cut into cubes

hemp seeds

Directions:

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño, mint and pinch of salt.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Toss the oranges and radishes together and pile on plate. Top with avocado, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with hemp seeds.  Serve immediately.

Plum Purple Radish