Beating the Heat: No Cook Cucumber Soup

These last few days - yet another "heat wave" - are a challenge to our eating habits.  We need to and should lighten up our intake.   Our systems are craving cold - but still we want delicious and satisfying.  And, if you are anything like me, if it involves firing up the oven, forget about it!

We grow cucumbers every year and we love them.  At some point we start harvesting earlier and start putting up our pickles, but at this time of year, we love to use the bigger cucumbers in recipes.  Here's a delicious, satisfying, and "no - cook" soup.  Do give it 24 hours in your 'fridge to really get a bang from the melding of all of the delicious flavors.

    This becomes . . . .

    This!

Recipe:  No Cook Cucumber Yogurt Soup

Ingredients

About two pounds of cucumbers, halved, seeded and chopped (the skins have flavor and nutrients, leave them on).

One and one half cups of good whole milk yogurt (preferably greek yogurt)

note: Use full fat yogurt.  Remember when you use low fat or no fat, you are adding sugar to the recipe.

Three Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

One chopped shallot

One garlic clove

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - italian flat leaf is best - if it's fresh, the stems will add great flavor

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and white pepper

For service:  More extra virgin olive oil and thinly sliced radishes or red onion.

Technique

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until really smooth

Add salt and white pepper to taste - you can use freshly ground black pepper if you don't have white.

Cover and put the blend in the refrigerator for 8 hours minimum and preferably overnight

For Service

Check seasonings and add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, some finely sliced radishes or finely sliced red onion to each bowl.

Enjoy!