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

Lovely summer soups are apparently my seasonal muse.  Summer is not exactly my favorite season, with it’s sun and heat (I’m strange), yet this year it has inspired me with it’s colors and flavors.  Soup requirements: refreshing, good both hot and cold, tasty the 1st day as well as the 3rd or 4th, and most importantly, simple.

This one was the epitome of simple.  Roast tomatoes and garlic, add stock and basil, blend.  Winner in both ease and taste.

Ingredients
·  2 pounds fresh tomatoes
·  6 cloves garlic
·  extra-virgin olive oil
·  salt and freshly ground black pepper
·  1 quart vegetable stock
·  fresh thyme
·  ¼ cup fresh basil
 
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, cut side up, and garlic cloves onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh thyme and salt on top. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized. Remove from oven and transfer tomatoes and resulting juice from roasting to a large stock pot.  Snip ends of garlic cloves and squeeze into pot.  Add vegetable stock and basil to pot.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

Serves 4