Three Cold Soup Recipes

Whip up these cold soup recipes in your food processor or blender and lunch or dinner will be on the table quickly. Who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen on a hot summer day? Lucky you - you don't even have to turn on the stove to make two of them.

Summer Soups

Cold soup recipes are usually served as entrees in France. There is something elegant about cold soup, perhaps because it is somewhat unexpected. Take the time to add a special touch to the presentation on these and see if your family doesn't take notice.

You can serve them in a bowl, but you might also want to try serving them in a glass that shows off the soups' pretty colors. Diners could either use a spoon or sip their soup from the glass.

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• 2 shallots
• 2 - 15 ounce cans white beans
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper

Peel the shallots and chop them in a food processor. Drain and rinse the beans completely (use a sieve) and add them along with the vinegar and olive oil to the shallots. Blend until you have a smooth puree. Add the milk, cayenne pepper and cumin and blend again until you have a smooth liquid. If you think it is too thick, add a little water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can serve these with a little sprig of parsley or other herb to add color.

Makes 4 servings

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• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 14 fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel (optional)
• salt and pepper

Reserve 4 mint leaves for the presentation. Roughly chop the rest of the mint and place along with the chopped cucumber in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Continue processing and add the buttermilk, yogurt and olive oil blending to a smooth liquid. Add fennel and salt and pepper to taste.

Decorate with the reserved mint to serve.

Makes 4 Servings

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• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 yellow bell peppers
• 4 garlic croutons (packaged)
• 6 ounces goat cheese
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• basil leaves (for decoration)

Place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 450°F. Turn them over half way through baking. When the skin blisters, remove them from the oven and place in a sealed paper bag for 15 minutes. Peel the peppers and cut in half removing the seeds. Place in the bowl of a food processor.

Crumble 6 ounces goat cheese, reserving 2 ounces for the presentation and adding 4 ounces to the peppers. Add the croutons and blend until mixture is a smooth puree. Slowly add the oil and 1 cup water and mix until smooth. Add approximately one more cup of water to get the soup to the desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a basil leaf and the remaining goat cheese for decoration.

Makes 4 servings

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And One More

These three cold soup recipes should hold you through to the end of summer, but if you still want more, try the French classic potato leek soup recipe: vicyssoise. It's a bit more work but deliciously worth it.

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