Think soups are just for winter? Just because one thinks of them as being hot doesn’t mean soup can’t be cool and included on a summer menu. Try a chilled cucumber honeydew puree with a shot of sake, and you might reconsider!
Chilled Soups
Served as a starter, chilled soups spike the appetite. As a light main course, they provide an escape from the smoke of the grill and the heat of the stove.
Chefs and cooks love them because they showcase the season’s fresh bounty, require little more than a whirl in the blender, and can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Chilled soups have grown in popularity for summer eating because they are low in calories, rich in taste, and easily prepared; chilled soups are a convenient way to help reach the five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimum health.
Nutrient Dense
There are two other great reasons to make cold summer vegetable soup. First of all, it is brimming with nutrients. Most summer soup recipes will be full of lycopene, the antioxidant with red pigment that gives foods like tomatoes, watermelons, and red peppers their bright color. Studies at Harvard Medical School, among others, indicate that a high intake of lycopene helps prevent skin damage from ultraviolet rays and skin cancer. That is important in the summer and coincides with current advice to put as much of the rainbow on your plate as you can. The more colors of fruits and vegetables you eat, the more cancer-fighting phytochemicals you consume.
Conserve Energy
The second great reason for making cold summer soup is to conserve energy. A summer supper of cold veggie soup and grilled cheese or deviled egg sandwiches will not require a lot of oven use. The kitchen will stay cooler. The cheese or eggs and a cold glass of milk will add protein for a healthy and tasty meal.
Get Creative
The simplicity of chilled soups really lets the flavor of the featured ingredient shine. If you can find ripe, fresh produce, that’s wonderful. Canned ingredients will work well also. Buy the best quality you can afford. Have fun substituting ingredients. Use yellow tomatoes instead of red, use shallots instead of onions or garlic, and experiment with different broths and stocks. Cold soups should be more heavily seasoned than hot because the cold temperatures soften the spice taste. The longer the soup sits in the refrigerator, the spicier it will taste. The smooth and creamy soups are best made ahead of time so that they have a chance to chill completely. In fact, you can prepare them a couple of days in advance. Just hold off stirring in the cream until you are ready to serve.
Gazpacho
The king of cold soups is gazpacho. This Spanish soup has multiple variations, but the most famous is the tomato-based gazpacho. The gazpacho-type soups can be made at the last moment; they should feel hearty and thick. Modern versions can be made with tropical fruits, avocados, corn, and even watermelon.
Vichyssoise
Vichyssoise is another cold, savory soup that has enjoyed decades of popularity. It was created by a French chef at New York’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel in 1917. Made of pureed potatoes and leeks and enriched with a swirl of cream before serving, vichyssoise is easy to prepare and makes any meal feel like a special occasion.
Sweet Soups
A sweet soup is a simple way to take advantage of an abundance of summer fruit. Refreshing fruit soups are a delightful way to begin or end a summer meal. Berry and stone fruit soups are traditional in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. These soups are a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. Berry soups are often accented with a touch of wine and a splash of cream or sour cream. Fresh lemon juice is often used to brighten the flavors of the fruit. Garnish pureed soups with whole berries or sliced fruit and a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.
Three Secrets
There are three secrets to chilled perfection: First, blend, blend, and blend again for an elegant smoothness. The consistency should be that of a velouté, thicker than a smoothie but still a little thinner than a winter bisque.
Second, do not skimp on the chilling time: A good three hours in the fridge is essential to achieve an even and thorough cool. For a colder soup that is ready immediately, replace some of the liquid with crushed ice, or if you use canned ingredients, place the cans in the refrigerator ahead of time. Always chill the serving bowl and the individual soup bowls or mugs. Place them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Third, pay attention to texture. Garnish the soup with a scattering of tiny fried bread cubes or garlic croutons, minced nuts, chopped fresh herbs or edible flowers, sour cream, or even salted whipped cream—that little something to bite into is always gratifying and offers a pleasing surprise.
Summer soups quench with a vibrant burst of flavor and the welcome cool of an icy drink. Soup is something you can have any time of year, but the same can’t be said for good watermelon, asparagus, or tomatoes, so make the most of them.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
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