C Is For Cucumber: Chilled Cucumber Soup

  This recipe came calling on a hot sticky day in Brooklyn.

  Inspired by Michael Anthony's recipe in our coveted copy of V Is For Vegetable (buy it), we needed something cleansing, chilled and light as a feather after a tour du mange in Paris last week.

  Make this recipe one day ahead and pull from the fridge 1 hour before serving for one of the easiest weeknight (and #MeatlessMonday) meals imaginable. Or, use this recipe as a first course if you feel like wowing your guests and cleansing their palates all at once.

Here's how:

Ingredients:
-2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped. SAVE THE PEELS*

-1 small onion, diced

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 tsp ginger, minced

-1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

-1 large handful fresh dill

-3 tbsp greek yogurt

-salt and pepper to taste

-fresh lime juice to taste

- fresh dill and chives to garnish

-1 baby cucumber thinly sliced, to garnish

Method:

1. Fill a mixing bowl with lots of ice and cold water to and submerge your cucumber peels, parsley and dill to blanch them. Set aside. This will reserve the bright green color in your soup down the line when we mix these with hot ingredients. Just you watch.

2. In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat. Sautee onions, garlic and ginger until soft (about 6-8 minutes). Add half your chopped cucumbers and cook until soft. Remove from heat.

3. In a blender, add your cucumber peels, parsley, dill, greek yogurt, 2 cups of water and cooked cucumber-onion-garlic-ginger and blend until smooth and fully incorporated. Add salt, pepper lime juice to taste.

4. Refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

5. Garnish with sliced baby cucumbers, dill, chives and drizzle of olive oil. Serves about 4.