A Trio of Cold Summer Soups
Summer soups require little effort to make, utilize fresh ingredients and are often served cold – my summer selection includes Yellow Pepper & Almond, Spicy Cucumber-Avocado and my take on Gazpacho
Summer is the most obvious time of year to enjoy a cold soup. I think cold soups possess magical powers to cool you on blazing summer days, just as a steaming bowl of soup packed with beans or rice warm your soul on freezing winter days.
Most cold soups require minimal preparation to make a satisfyingly simple meal, and they often take advantage of seasonal ingredients that are packed with peak flavors and nutrition. Think of it this way…cold summer soups are basically tasty and nutritious vegetable salads that are blended or finely chopped.
Cold summer soups can be served slightly warmed or ice cold. The simple preparations don’t require a lot of time in the kitchen – some are even prepared completely raw like my take on Gazpacho or Spicy Cold Cucumber-Avocado Soup. And minimal cooking is a bonus when you want to keep the temperature of your kitchen in check when the weather turns steamy hot.
Here’s some more good news – cream soups adapt very well to being served either hot, warm or cold…just like one of my favorites, Yellow Pepper and Almond Soup. This means it’s simple to turn your favorite cream soup into a summer delight.
I think cold soups possess magical powers to cool you on blazing summer days, just as a steaming bowl of soup packed with beans or rice warm your soul on freezing winter days.
Making cold soups is straight forward – often, it is no more difficult than making a smoothie in the morning. But there are a couple of considerations:
Cold soups normally require a heavy hand in seasoning, otherwise they may taste bland. I suggest tasting cold soups carefully when they reach the correct serving temperature and adjusting seasoning at that time.
Most cold soups benefit from a day or two of mellowing time – just like a hot soup. This allows plenty of time for flavors to develop and blend. One caveat is to be cautious with sharp tasting ingredients and seasonings. Onions, garlic, ginger and chili peppers tend to intensify too much during the “mellowing” phase.
Cold soups tend to thicken as they cool, so be certain to adjust the consistency with added liquid as necessary. I try to achieve a consistency that is creamy but not stiff. Keep in mind, overly creamy soups can leave your mouth feeling like it’s been coated with fat – and that’s not pleasant. Add some additional acid to compensate and balance fats; a shot of citrus, tamarind, vinegar or pomegranate should do the trick.
Go light on garnishing cold soups. Use simple herbs or create natural texture contrasts that make sense – something like torn croutons or some roasted nuts. The focus on the freshness of the soup’s ingredients should speak loudly and the garnish should whisper gently in agreement.
Keep storage times to a maximum of 1-2 days. Some ingredients, like tomatoes or melons, sour quickly and can easily ruin a cold soup.
I agree with James Peterson’s words in his book Splendid Soups, “I find something particularly satisfying about the balance of liquid and solid that makes a soup.” And soups are extremely versatile regardless of the time of year – a hot soup is easily turned into a cold one and vice versa. I always know I can make a soup according to seasonal ingredients, the weather, the general formality of the meal or to satisfy a whim. Although many people balk at the idea of making a soup because it seems old-fashioned or too time consuming for busy souls making their way through a busy world, making a batch of soup is almost always easy – especially in summer – and that is even more satisfying!
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Yellow Pepper & Almond Soup
I started regularly using ground almonds to thicken soups after making this delicious recipe from Peter Berley’s original version appearing in The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. The customary method of thickening soups with ground almond paste is Spanish…but I’m sure its roots go deep into North Africa where the Arabs and Sephardic Jews were known to use almonds in many ways.
In my version, I roast the almonds in the oven rather than frying them in oil as it might be done in Spain. I think the roasted flavor of almonds is more intense than fried almonds because the nuts toast evenly throughout instead of just the surface. The subsequent paste produces a wonderfully aromatic background roasted flavor that pairs exquisitely with the sweetness of the yellow sweet peppers.
I like serving this soup barely warmed – just a bit more than room temperature. It is also exceptionally delicious served iced cold.