Cucumber Soup

My grandma made this soup while we were visiting her last weekend in Cape Cod, and it was so delicious that I made it two days after we got back home to Orlando.  I also served it in my new favorite bowl, hand-painted with a cute red crab, that we found in a shop in Chatham on the Cape.

This meal requires a little advance planning, because you have to let the soup chill overnight before you can fully enjoy it, but that extra time to sit makes all the difference.  The flavors blend and develop while it sits and I guarantee that when you taste it again 8 hours later it will be a gazillion times more flavorful than your initial taste for seasoning.

I doubled the below recipe, because this soup is just so yummy.  And you can also add more or less Tabasco depending on how much heat you want in the back.  It’s not incredibly spicy, but more of a warming heat.  There’s also a nice little bite from the fresh garlic, but it’s not overwhelmingly strong.  I even added more garlic to the final batch.

For the cucumbers, you can use regular cucumbers, but make sure you peel and seed them.  I used English cucumbers, which you don’t need to peel.

Let me know what you think!

What you’ll need: cucumbers, olive oil, dill, garlic, salt, cider vinegar, Tabasco, nonfat plain yogurt, nonfat sour cream.

Combine cucumber, oil, dill, garlic, salt, vinegar and Tabasco in a bowl.  Let mixture sit for one hour in the fridge.

Puree mixture in food processor.  Pour into a bowl and gently fold in the yogurt and sour cream.

Check for seasoning.  Chill at least 8 hours before serving.  Ladle into your favorite bowl and enjoy!

Cold Cucumber Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups English cucumbers, seeded and diced (you can use regular cucumbers, too, but make sure you peel them also)
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh dill
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons Tabasco (or white pepper)
• 3/4 cup nonfat, plain yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups nonfat sour cream

Steps

• Combine cucumber, oil, dill, garlic, salt, vinegar and Tabasco in a bowl.  Let mixture sit for one hour in the fridge.
• Puree mixture in food processor.
• Pour into a bowl and gently fold in the yogurt and sour cream.
• Check for seasoning.
• Chill at least 8 hours before serving.

Hugs, kisses & yummy dishes… xoxo

Lauren