Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup

I’ve been making cucumber soup for as long as we’ve had a garden, which is going on 16 years now. One of the challenges of growing your own food is finding a way to turn lots and lots of veggies into breakfast, lunch and dinner. So anytime I can take an armload of produce and make them into a main course, I’m sold. I’ve tried five? seven? ten? different recipes over the years and learned a few things along the way: I don’t like chilled soups that cook any ingredients: I want the bright, fresh taste of my raw veggies to really shine. I also don’t like versions that call for stock. I find them too soup-like. This meal at its best is spoonfuls of juice and crunch and green. Here, find my favorite combination of summer flavors, one that’s sure to make you close your eyes and say ummm,ummm.

Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded
• 1 1/2 pounds cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1 bunch fresh chives (about a half-cup)
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup plain, whole fat yogurt
• a few cucumber slices and snips of chives for garnish

Directions

1. Drop garlic, salt and pepper into food processor with a knife blade. Process until ingredients become consistency of a paste.
2. Add onion and jalapeño and chop. Then add cucumber, chives and avocado, process until all is well-chopped and soup-like.
3. Remove from processor into medium mixing bowl. Add lemon zest and juice, then yogurt. Stir well.
4. Divide soup into individual serving bowls, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly atop soup and refrigerate. After well-chilled, remove from fridge, garnish and serve cold.