2 refreshing chilled-soup recipes for summer

Not all soups must be piping hot when served. Chilled soups can be refreshing on a scorching summer's day, especially these two delicious recipes.

Think of this soup during the dog days of summer. It requires no cooking and features the refreshing flavours of lemon, cilantro and avocado.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 0 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 vegetable bouillon cube
• Boiling water
• Cold water
• Small bunch of fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
• 2 Haas avocados, halved and pitted
• 4 green onions, trimmed and chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 fresh green chili pepper, seeded and chopped (wear gloves when handling)
• 250 ml (1 c.) natural Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
• 150 ml (2/3 c.) coconut milk
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) olive oil
• Pinch of sugar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation instructions

1. Dissolve the bouillon cube in a small amount of the boiling water in a measuring cup. Next, add enough cold water to make 300 ml (1 1/4 c.).
2. Roughly chop all but a few leaves of the cilantro. Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender or food processor. Add the broth, onions, garlic, chili peppers, chopped cilantro, yogurt, coconut milk, oil, sugar and lemon juice.
3. Process the mixture, scraping down the sides once, until velvety and smooth, about two minutes.
4. Season with salt, to taste, and chill for at least three hours or overnight.
5. Sprinkle with the reserved cilantro and black pepper before serving.

Silky and elegant in texture with a beguiling pale pink colour, this cold soup makes the perfect summer starter.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 fennel bulb, quartered lengthwise
• 2 slices unpeeled beet about 1 cm (approx. 1/2 in.) thick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) black peppercorns
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) salt
• 250 ml (1 c.) medium-dry white wine
• 800 ml (3 1/2 c.) cold water
• 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon
• 1 large, freshly cleaned trout about 350 g (approx. 12 oz.)
• 110 g (4 oz.) cream cheese
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) grated horseradish or 30 g (2 tbsp.) horseradish sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75 g (3 oz.) smoked trout fillet, flaked

Preparation instructions

1. Put the fennel into a saucepan large enough to hold the trout. Add the beet, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, wine and water.
2. Pick the leaves off the tarragon and set aside. Add the tarragon stems to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the whole trout to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the flesh is opaque throughout, seven to eight minutes. Remove the fish to a plate to cool.
4. Skin and bone the trout, setting aside the flesh and returning the head, tail, skin and bones to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the remaining fish meat falls from the bones, about 15 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl and let cool.
5. Puree the reserved trout flesh, cream cheese and horseradish in a blender or food processor.
6. Transfer to a large bowl and add the strained cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then chill at least three hours or overnight.
7. Ladle the soup into cold soup bowls. Sprinkle with the smoked trout, tarragon leaves and black pepper.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!