Cuke Soup

It's hot and sticky here in Chicago but I have the summer off for the first time since oh...1992 (teaching RAWKS) so I've been thinking about what's for Lunch in different ways as of late. This week, in particular, I've been moderately obsessed with chilled cucumber soup with yogurt. After a couple of experiments I have decided that Kefir is the way forward. It gives a nice sour\tart flavor but avoids the feeling that one is simply slurping down a bowl of taziki which is what happens when you start mucking around with Greek yogurt and milk. Cucumbers used were either traditional or lemon cukes featured in the photo.


Current working recipe:
One large shallot
One clove garlic
Juice of one large lemon
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
Small handful of fresh dill
4 lemon cukes or 1 and half traditional cukes
1 quart plain kefir

Finely, finely dice shallot and garlic. Sprinkle with sugar and cover with lemon juice. Let sit for a least an hour. Chop up cuke and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and put in fridge. Go do something else for awhile.

In the large bowl throw in the shallot\lemon\garlic mix which should have mellowed the sharp, weepy sulfur business by now. Grind in a bunch of pepper, throw in the dill and pour the kefir over the lot. (A bit of fresh mint is okay here as well, mostly this is because the mint on the porch is Ginormous and I need an outlet.) Immersion blender, throw in the fridge and you're done. (Part DCCCXCI why immersion blenders are essential equipement).