Kelly Rossiter
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This is the time of year when friends and neighbors come to you wild-eyed, proffering the massive overflow of zucchini from their gardens. It's been such a wet summer here in Ontario, that I think we'll have a real bumper crop. It's too late to tell those friends that they should have sacrificed a few vegetables by cooking the blossoms, so just be polite and take all the zucchini they want to offload.
The great thing about zucchini is that you can cook it in so many different ways and use it any time of day. Make a simple pasta, stir-fry it, make bread or muffins, put it in a frittata, make ratatouille or use it as a substitute for potatoes when making latkes. I often toss it into the pot when I'm making a vegetable soup.
With this soup, the zucchini takes the lead. This recipe is actually vegan, but you would swear there was cream in the soup, the texture was so silky. The soup was delicious the first day, and even better the day after. If it's a really hot day, go ahead and eat it cold. Being at the cottage, doing the julienne of the skin seemed way too much like work, so I simply omitted that step. It's really as much an issue of presentation as taste and honestly, my husband doesn't care. I think a garnish of yogurt or light sour cream would be just as nice.
Zucchini Basil Soup
2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups water, divided
1/3 cup packed basil leaves
- Julienne skin (only) from half of zucchini with slicer; toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and drain in a sieve until wilted, at least 20 minutes. Coarsely chop remaining zucchini.
- Cook onion and garlic in oil in a 3- to 4-quarts heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Purée soup with basil in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), or use an immersion blender.
- Bring remaining cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and blanch julienned zucchini 1 minute. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl (use liquid to thin soup if necessary).
- Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls with julienned zucchini mounded on top.
Difficulty Level: Easy
From (Gourmet), July 2008
Related Recipes
Try a New Vegetable: Zucchini Blossoms
Farmers' Market Dinner: Pasta with Zucchini in a Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce
Potato Latkes
Ratatouille
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