Cool as a Cucumber: Chilled Avocado Soup

When I was in Chicago for BlogHer this summer, I visited a college friend named John. Since he's fairly new to Chicago and his kitchen was less-than stocked, I had the opportunity to drag him to every restaurant in Chicago that I wanted to try.

One night, we started with happy hour and wound up at Table 52, chef Art Smith's "home of Southern hospitality in Chicago." The food is all sourced locally, from fine organic markets and the decor is elegant and intimate.

While I'm sure it had nothing to do with the pre-dinner adult beverages, we were starving by the time we sat down at our cloth-napkin clad table. To start, I ordered a salad with arugula and blue cheese with a champagne vinaigrette and John opted for cream of pureed fennel and potato soup.

What the waiter neglected to tell him when he rattled off the specials was the fact that the soup was served cold. John couldn't have described it better when he said: "It's kind of like eating melted ice cream that tastes like potato."

Overall? The food was fantastic, but there is no debating that for some, chilled soups are an acquired taste. I'm starting to acquire that taste and when I saw this recipe on We Are Not Martha (love!) I had to try a variation of my own.

If you're like me and love avocado, this soup could not be more refreshing and the texture was smooth and creamy. It's perfect to eat alongside a sandwich or salad and lunchtime or with fresh fruit for a light dinner on a balmy day.

Chilled Avocado Soup

(Adapted from Martha Stewart Living August 2009)

Ingredients:

1 whole avocado
1 large English (seedless) cucumber, diced
3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used juice from one large fresh lemon)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Blend peeled, seeded cucumber, avocado, fat-free yogurt and fresh lemon juice in a blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and thin with salt and pepper as desired. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve cold, garnished with diced cucumber.

Comments

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

That looks delicious -- and great job of photographing something that is so difficult to photograph!

[Daryl Callahan]

Fantastic!!! Looks professional

[thatShortChick]

I would be one of those people who need to acquire a taste for chilled soups. It looks and sounds delicious though.

[thatShortChick]

I would be one of those people who hasn't (yet) acquired a taste for chilled soups but this looks and sounds delicious.

[mandy]

I just bought some avacados at the market the other day! This will be perfect.

[elra]

Looks very refreshing and delicious!

[grace]

good gravel, maris. what an outstanding soup, and it’s so simple! i adore avocados, and not only does this look like a million bucks, but i’m drooling just thinking about the refreshing and delicious flavors. incidentally, if i’m ever in Chicago, i plan to eat at a rick bayless restaurant or get arrested trying. :)

[Maria]

Such an elegant soup. I love it!

[sunny]

ok, i do love avacado, that looks delicious!!

[Jamie]

I love chilled soups and this one sounds perfect with both avocado and cucumber.

[THEJFF]

Your friend John sounds very handsome, and I would like to subscribe to his newsletter.

[Juliana]

Wow, this cold soup sounds and looks delicious...so refreshing...great for these hot days! Nice color!

[Kalyn]

Lydia is reading my mind again, but that's just what I was going to say.

[Ashley]

So pretty too.

[Lisa]

I love chilled soups, and yours look so great, I could bathe in it. Actually, I do, I use Avocado-Cucumber bubble bath and body oils on occasion :)

[bodelou]

this sounds like my cup of soup. hehe.

i was just telling someone yesterday that everything is better with avocado. some people think its bacon, i am of the opinion it is avocado.

i will be trying this. very soon.

[Christina]

I've never tried chilled soup before either. I would have been surprised too!

The avocado soup sounds great though, I'll be trying it soon!

[Sophie]

What a lovely chilled avocado soup! So refreshing!

[Kerstin]

What a refreshing soup, it looks so creamy and delicious!

[Emily]

I love chilled soups! Avocado blended in makes for such deliciously creamy ones. It's great mixed in with carrot juice and pumpkin pie spice (based on a natalia rose recipe for pumpkin pie in a bowl). I find them the ultimate comfort food :)