Whether you grow your own vegetables or enjoy shopping at the local market, you probably know that it’s zucchini season! This tasty, fresh, light and vitamin vegetable is part of the composition of many typical summer dishes and can be eaten calmly even when following a diet for weight loss. So, how about cold basil zucchini soup to lick your fingers?
Why fresh velutée is perfect for summer
Classic Fischois cream, Spanish salmorego, mint pea ice cream, gazpacho from cucumber or tomato … Of course, cold soup is part of our summer menu and cold basil zucchini soup is no exception! We quickly prepare them with fresh seasonal vegetables, top them with our favorite herbs and eat them well chilled to satiate without risk during a heat wave. What more could you want from a summer dish?
Cold basil zucchini soup recipe
The cold basil zucchini soup recipe we chose for you has many very important advantages. First, it is very easy to prepare and the heat is treated to a minimum. After that, it takes less than half an hour in total, which is very useful when you have to juggle several tasks. Along the same lines, it’s an ideal option if you want to prepare a little food in advance and eat it in the evening, or even the next day. Last but not least, it tastes simply irresistible and may well become your favorite summer soup. Did we mention it’s vegetarian? So, without further preamble and praise, here is the list of ingredients needed to make 4 servings:
12 cups chopped leeks (soft parts, white and light green only)
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
2 small zucchini, chopped + a few slices of zucchini spiral or julienne, to serve
½ cup hemp seeds
Juice of ½ lemon, to taste
1 cup water, plus more as needed to regulate consistency
¼ cup of fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make garlic toast:
Two slices of sourdough bread, cut into cubes
1 clove finely minced garlic
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for distillation
Preparation step by step
Clean the leeks by removing the outer leaves and cutting the white and light green part into rings. Rinse under cold running water, drain well and set aside to dry. Heat olive oil drizzle in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. When it becomes a little transparent, taste to make sure it has a fluffy texture and a mild taste. Stir in garlic and fry for another 30 seconds before removing from heat.
In a blender, put shallots, zucchini halves, hemp seeds, lemon juice, 1 cup cold water and some black peppercorns. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add the basil and mix a little more. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice, or pepper, depending on personal preference. Dilute with more water if you prefer a thinner texture. To make garlic toast:
Preheat the oven to 175°C and place the parchment paper in a baking dish. Spread the bread cubes on the plate and toss with the chopped garlic and a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 8 minutes or until the toast is golden, crunchy, and fragrant. Serve cold basil zucchini soup at room temperature, or a little cold, with garlic croutons, a little olive oil, and spirals of raw zucchini or a few small leaves of fresh basil, among other things.
Topping notes and differences
Cold Basil Zucchini Soup doesn’t contain any animal products, but its creamy texture comes from hemp seeds! This makes it lighter, but also ideal if you have guests and don’t know the whole situation personally. Of course, if you don’t have food allergies or you simply aren’t aiming to make a vegan recipe, you can calmly correct it with heavy cream, stir-fry shallots in butter, etc.
Not only does lemon juice add fresh acidity to this cold zucchini and basil soup, but it also gives it a glossy texture while playing a responsible role in maintaining the vegetables’ bright green color (which can take on a grayish tint due to a lack of acid). To preserve as much as possible the wonderful aroma of fresh basil, put it in the blender last and avoid cooking it or even heating it in any way.
Source used: www.loveandlemons.com