Cold soups are refreshing after a hot day. These recipes use in-season North Carolina blueberries and cucumbers.

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Avocado Toast

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes

Ingredients

1 pound cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 cups buttermilk (or use 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup water)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed

2 anchovy fillets (optional)

2 small whole scallions, trimmed

½ jalapeño, seeded, deveined and chopped

½ cup packed mixed fresh herbs (like mint, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and cilantro)

½ teaspoon sherry or white wine vinegar, more to taste

¾ teaspoon kosher sea salt, plus more to taste

4 slices baguette or other bread, toasted

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced

½ lemon

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

1 ear of corn, shucked, kernels sliced off

Fresh dill, for serving

What to Do

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine cucumber, buttermilk, garlic, anchovy, scallions, jalapeño, fresh herbs, sherry vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning as needed.

For Toast: Smash avocado slices on the toasted bread. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil and some pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Distribute soup between 4 bowls and garnish with raw corn kernels and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve avocado toast on the side.

 

Blueberry Soup with Sweet Croutons

Inspirations at GotToBeNC.com

Ingredients

Blueberry Soup:

4½ cups fresh NC Blueberries

1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

½ cup cold water

1 teaspoon dried lavender

1 tsp. vanilla

1½ cups vanilla yogurt

Sweet Croutons:

½ package frozen butter pound cake (10.75 oz.), thawed

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

What to Do

Blueberry Soup:

Stir together fresh blueberries, lemonade concentrate, and ½ cup cold water in a 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, stir in dried lavender, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until blueberries burst. Remove from heat, and cool 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Press mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer into a large bowl, using the back of a spoon to squeeze out juice. Discard pulp. Stir in yogurt. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Serve with sweet croutons.

Sweet Croutons:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pound cake into ½ inch cubes, and place in a large bowl. Add butter and chopped mint, and toss gently to coat. Place cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool completely.

 

Corn Gazpacho with Shrimp

Inspirations at GotToBeNC.com

Ingredients

8 ears fresh corn, cooked, and corn removed from the cob (4 cups)

1 pint grape tomatoes, yellow and red (reserve 8 chopped for garnish)

¾ cup sliced leek, white parts only

1½ cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon olive oil

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

What to Do

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook corn for 3 minutes. Let cool before removing from the cob. Reserve ½ cup for garnish.

Combine remaining corn (3½ cups) and the next 8 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Add cream; process until just combined. Pour mixture into a bowl; cover and chill at least 2 hours.

While the soup is cooling, pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl; season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Stir to thoroughly combine. Add the shrimp to a medium size pan on medium-high heat in a single layer. Cook without stirring until shrimp are opaque. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Once cooled, (reserve 4 shrimp for garnish), cut the remaining shrimp in half.

Remove soup from refrigerator, taste for seasoning. Stir in shrimp. Divide the gazpacho evenly among 4 soup bowl; top with reserved corn, tomatoes, sliced green onions and one whole shrimp.

 

Yogurt Soups

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1990

Ingredients

2 peeled and seeded cucumbers or 2 avocados, or 2 cups cooked beets

3 cups yogurt

2 scallions or 1 tablespoon chopped onion

Salt

Garnish

8 thin slices cucumber and 1 tablespoon dill

4 slices lime (for the avocado)

4 tablespoons shredded beets, raw or cooks

Additional dollop of yogurt or sour cream (optional)

What to Do

Spin the cucumbers or avocados or beets in a blender or food processor with the yogurt and scallions or onion until just smoot. Salt to taste and shill. Serve in chilled bowls with suggested garnishes.

 

Vichyssoise

The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, 1990

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

4 leeks, white part only, sliced fine

2 stalks celery

2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 sprigs parsley

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

What to Do

Melt the butter in a large pot, add the onion, leeks and celery and cook over low heat stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until limp but not brown. Stir in the potatoes, parsley and stock. Cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Put through a strainer or vegetable mill or purée in a blender or food processor. Pour into a bowl, stir in the cream and chives, and chill in the refrigerator. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

 

Cold Cucumber or Avocado Soup

The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, 1990

Ingredients

2 peeled and seeded cucumbers or avocados

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons minced chives or scallion greens

What to Do

If you have a blender or food processor, simply chop the cucumbers or avocados in rough pieces, leaving out enough for the garnish, and whirl with all the other ingredients in the machine until just blended. Otherwise, grate the cucumbers or avocadoes and blend with the other ingredients by hand. Add salt and chill. Serve in bowls with their garnish and chives or scallion scattered on top.

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