4-5 cucumbers, peeled and seeded and chopped
3-6 green onions, chopped
2 T chopped fresh dill
½ cup chopped flat parsley
1 quart buttermilk
16 oz sour cream
salt and pepper
½ cup fresh lemon juice

Put cucumbers in colander, salt, let drain 30 minutes, pat dry with paper towel.
Mix all ingredients in processor in batches.
Refrigerate

The sweetness of summer squash provides a nice backdrop for a lightly creamy curry soup. Garnish, if desired, with lightly sauteed squash coins, diced tomatoes, a dollop of sour cream or a cooked, peeled shrimp.

2 pounds yellow straight or crook-necked summer squash (about 8 to 9 medium)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 11/2 cups)
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
Salt to taste
1/4 cup heavy or light cream

Trim the ends from the squash. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the squash. You should have about 6 packed cups. Transfer the grated squash to a colander, place in the sink and allow to drain.

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and turns pale golden, about 8 minutes.

Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the grated, drained squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash wilts and begins to release its juices, about 10 minutes. Add the stock or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, until the squash is completely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth. Stir in the cream and add salt to taste. Serve immediately or if you would like cold soup, cover and refrigerate until chilled through, about 2 hours.

4 to 6 servings

DMV variations – I used crook-neck squash, didn’t add cream, served warm with a dollup of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro and a few slices of cherry tomatoes.

The classic Andalusian gazpacho is found all over the region with surprisingly few variations, except for the addition of cucumber and onion  ingredients that have fallen out of favor with chefs who prefer to allow the pure taste of the tomatoes, Sherry vinegar, and olive oil to shine through. In this version, cumin lends an intriguing, subtle flavor.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr
Makes 4 servings.
1 (2-inch-long) piece baguette, crust discarded
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons salt ( I probably use less)
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (preferably “reserva”), or to taste ( I use balsamic)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
2 1/2 lb ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil (probably less)

Garnish: finely chopped red and green bell peppers or cukes, red onions anything you would like.

Soak bread in 1/2 cup water 1 minute, then squeeze dry, discarding soaking water.

Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife). Blend garlic paste, bread, 2 tablespoons vinegar, sugar, cumin, and half of tomatoes in a food processor until tomatoes are very finely chopped. Add remaining tomatoes with motor running and, when very finely chopped, gradually add oil in a slow stream, blending until as smooth as possible, about 1 minute.

Force soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids. (I don’t do this as I like the fiber)

Transfer to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours.
Season with salt and vinegar before serving.

Cooks’ note: Gazpacho can be chilled up to 2 days.

Adapted from El Faro, Cádiz, Spain

Traditional end-of-summer dish from Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
2 finely chopped hot green peppers or 1 small can diced green chilies
1 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 c. peeled and cubed pumpkin
2 c. corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
2 c. cooked white beans
1/2 -1 tsp. oregano
salt & pepper

Combine in a sauce pan and cook until tender onion, garlic, chili powder, green peppers, salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Add 1 1/2 c. tomatoes, pumpkin, corn, and white beans. Simmer for 30 minutes or more.

The soup/stew will be thick and chunky with a mild spicy flavor.

1 4-inch square dried kombu, cleaned with a damp cloth
2/3 cup bonito flakes (fish flakes)
1/3 pound enoki mushrooms (1 package), a few reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons miso
2 scallions, finely sliced

To prepare the dashi, combine kombu and 4 cups water in a pot, and bring to a boil. Remove kelp, and discard. Add bonito flakes, stir well, and remove from the heat. Let flakes settle to the bottom of the pot (about 30 seconds). Strain the stock through a fine sieve, discarding bonito flakes.

Return stock to the pot, and add mushrooms. Cook over moderate heat until mushrooms have softened (about 3 minutes). In a small bowl, dissolve miso in a ladleful of dashi. Add dissolved miso to the soup, and stir to combine. Divide soup among four bowls, and sprinkle with reserved enoki and scallions.

6 cups water
2 thin slices fresh ginger
1 medium carrot cut into thin strips
1/3 cup shiro miso (white fermented soybean paste)
1/2 cup small-diced silken tofu (about 3 ounces)
2 scallions thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry

Bring the water and ginger to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add carrot, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit for 1 minute.

Whisk together shiro miso and 1/2 cup of the hot water in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk into the hot water. Remove and discard the ginger. Add tofu and scallions, divide among bowls, and serve immediately.

Serving Size: 6

1c raw barley
6 c. boiling stock
2 tbsp oil
2 c. chopped onions
2 c. chopped or sliced carrots
1 tbsp dried dill weed
1 ½ c. sliced celery
4 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tbsp tamari
parsley

Combine barley and stock in a 4 quart soup pot. Cover and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, carrots and dill weed. A few minutes later, add the celery. When browned and cooked nicely, add to the soup pot. Saute the mushrooms in the same pan quickly on high heat until lightly cooked, then add salt, pepper, tamari and more water or stock if needed. The barley will continue to absorb water, making the soup thick. Before serving add parsley.

Makes 8 servings.

1 pint shucked oysters (about 16) including their liquor
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 1/2 cups canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1 jalapeno chile, quartered lengthwise
3 green onions, thinly sliced
zest of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Strain oysters over saucepan and reserve the oysters. Add the clam juice to the oyster liquor along with the coconut milk, jalapeno, onions and lime zest. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the oysters and lime juice and simmer gently until the oysters’ edges curl, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil, cilantro and salt and serve immediately.

I plan to try this with shrimp.

From “Simply Shellfish,” by Leslie Glover Pendelton (William Morrow, 2006)