August has finally arrived. Long summer nights and hot beach days are at their peak. A full month of fun in the sun is still left to be enjoyed, which means now couldn’t be a better time to cool things down in the kitchen!
I personally find it hard to eat hot, hearty meals in the height of summer. No one wants to come home from the beach to a delicious – but unseasonal – beef stew.
I’ve found that chilled soups can be an easy, light way to cool down and still feel satisfied. Now don’t get me wrong, I know what you’re thinking: cold soup? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Soup doesn’t necessarily have to be served hot. In fact, cold soup is very popular in many other countries, and can be great served as a pre-dinner course on a hot summer night or as the main event for lunch.
While cold soup may not be for everyone, the refreshing taste of the chilly carrot with the zing from the ginger in this recipe is the perfect blend of summer flavors almost guaranteed to cool you off at the end of a hot day.
Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
4 cups carrot, peeled, roughly chopped
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp. fresh thyme
48 ounces stock, chicken or vegetable
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot melt the butter on medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh thyme, carrots, salt, pepper and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots are tender.
Remove from the heat. Using a high powered blender, puree the soup. Carefully puree in batches, being sure to not to spill hot liquid. Pour soup back into pot or container for cooling.
Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with sour cream and parsley.
