When the sun burns mercilessly and the thermometer goes over 30, thoughts involuntarily rush to coolness. The perfect solution in this weather would be a refreshing cold soup!
We present to your attention three recipes for cold soups from Europe.
Gazpacho (Spain). Ripe tomatoes, juicy cucumbers, aromatic garlic, tender pieces of white bread, olive oil and ice - all ground to a velvety consistency and cooled to the ideal temperature. Some variations of this dish include zucchini, bell peppers, pumpkin and even shallots, which add new flavor dimensions to it.
Ingredients: ripe tomatoes - 6 pcs., cucumbers - 2 pcs., shallots - 1 pc., sweet red pepper - 2 tbsp. l., ice - 6 cubes, white bread - 2 slices, lime or lemon juice - 3 tbsp. l., Tabasco sauce or hot pepper - to taste, garlic - 1 clove, olive oil - 2 tbsp. l., cilantro - a couple of sprigs, salt.
Cut the tomatoes with a cross and place in boiling water for 1 minute. Then cool, remove the skin and chop coarsely. Also cut cucumbers, bell peppers, onions and herbs into large pieces. Place all ingredients in a blender, add ice cubes and blend into a homogeneous mass. Follow with the slices of bread and beat with a blender again. Season with salt, spices and olive oil.
Serve immediately before the soup is heated. Garnish with garlic croutons, mint leaves or thyme.
Vichyssoise (France). On the one hand, it is nourishing and high-calorie, as befits onion soup. On the other hand, it is usually served cold, making it an ideal dish for the summer heat.
It is not known for certain who and when invented vichyssoise. According to one legend, a similar hot dish was prepared in France back in the XVIII century.
There is a version: supposedly they began to eat it cold at the court of the French king Louis XV. The monarch, fearing poisoning, ordered the servants to taste the food from his table. By the time it became clear that the soup was not poisoned, it had already cooled down. It was the cold version that the king really liked.
The modern name for the soup was given 200 years later by the French chef Louis Dia. While working in a New York restaurant, he was looking for something to surprise guests on a hot summer day. Remembering the childhood delicacy of onion soup with cold milk, Louis decided to recreate it in his kitchen. He gave the name Crème vichyssoise glacée (translated as “chilled creamy vichyssoise”) to the soup in honor of the resort town of Vichy.
Ingredients: leeks - 2 stalks, onions - 2 onions, butter - 150 g, vegetable oil - 100 ml, 3 medium potatoes, cream 40% - 300 ml, chicken broth - 200 ml, green onions, ground white pepper, nutmeg, salt.
Cut the white part of the leek and onion into half rings. Heat a mixture of vegetable oil and butter in a saucepan. Fry the onion until golden brown. Peel and cut the potatoes. Add it to the fried onions. After 3-4 minutes, pour chicken broth, cream into the saucepan, salt, pepper and add spices to taste. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Grind the finished soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Cool and serve in portions, garnished with herbs.
Ajo blanco (Spain) originates from the Middle Ages, the soup is called the big brother of the famous gazpacho due to some common ingredients.
The dish includes: almonds, stale bread, water, olive oil, a bite and a pinch of salt. In some variations, you can find a raw egg yolk, which adds an unusual creaminess to the soup. Ajo blanco is served with grapes, apples or melon.
Ingredients: peeled almonds - 200 g, dry white bread without crust - 4 slices, garlic - 2 cloves, water - 600 g, sherry or grape vinegar - 2 tbsp. l., olive oil - 5 tbsp. l., seedless grapes - for decoration, parsley.
Roast the almonds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes to enhance their aroma and taste. Soak the bread in water or almond milk for 10-15 minutes. Grind the almonds and garlic in a blender to a paste. Add soaked bread, water, vinegar and salt to the almond mixture. Beat thoroughly with a blender. Pour in the olive oil in a thin stream while the blender is running, achieving a smooth emulsion. Pour the soup into a saucepan and refrigerate until completely cooled.
Serve the ajo blanco in chilled bowls. Garnish with grape halves, cucumber, melon or apple slices.
What's your favorite cold soup recipe?
Resource: www.vokrugsveta.ru
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