Simple and elegant. A great starter to a Greek dinner party I just had. *ice cubes worth it, for presentation.
Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup
The classic combination of raw cucumber, yogurt, lemon, and mint is spa-like in its refreshing qualities, and perfect for the hottest summer days. Serve with lemon-mint ice cubes as a cooling garnish. The ice cubes should be made at least five hours, and up to four days, before serving. This recipe was developed by assistant editor Anna Stockwell for her story on cold yogurt soups.
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Credit: Anna Stockwell
INGREDIENTS
For the ice cubes:3 tbsp. mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
For the soup:
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 3 ½ cups or 1 lb.)
1 ¼ cup plain Greek-style strained yogurt
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup mint leaves
2 tbsp. chives, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
2. Make the soup: In a blender, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, chives, olive oil, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Portion soup into individual bowls and top each with a lemon-mint ice cube.
2 tbsp. chives, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the ice cubes: Divide the mint, lemon juice, and salt among 4 cubes of an ice cube tray. Top off with cold water and freeze.2. Make the soup: In a blender, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, chives, olive oil, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Portion soup into individual bowls and top each with a lemon-mint ice cube.
