Avocado Cucumber Soup

A cold, fresh, elegant start to a summer dinner

This soup is a fresh, elegant beginning to a summer dinner, or it can be a lunch all by itself. There is no “cooking” in this recipe. Everything goes into the blender fresh. I like to make it spicy by increasing the amount of serrano pepper. Since serrano and jalapeno peppers vary in heat and intensity, it’s a good idea to taste them prior to adding them to the soup so that you get the right amount of spice. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 avocado

• 1 European cucumber

• 1 cup plain yogurt

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 jalapeno

• 1 serrano pepper

• 2 teaspoons salt

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 cup ice

Optional garnishes:

• fresh lump crab meat mixed with chopped red peppers, lime juice and cilantro

• chives

• Italian parsley

• lime zest

• dusting of smoked paprika

Instructions

Seed and peel the avocado and cucumber.

Seed the peppers.

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Blend until smooth, stopping a few times to ensure no veggie chunks are hiding in the nooks of the blender.

Serve immediately, in serving cups or bowls.

Adding a cup of ice makes your soup crisply cold. If your ingredients are well chilled, you may omit the ice for a thicker soup.

This is especially good garnished with crab meat, chives, parsley, lime zest or a decorative dusting of cayenne.