Howdy, Lovelys!

Since this week has been filled with the summer heat, perhaps, today’s post can help you get some refreshing relief…

Recently, I had a delicious chilled cucumber soup at Zaytinya.

Even though I do not have their recipe, here’s a yummy alternative:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups plain yogurt
• 1 large English (hothouse) cucumber, peeled,
• halved, seeded and coarsely grated, plus 6
• paper-thin cucumber slices with skin intact for
• garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
• 2 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill, plus 6 dill sprigs
• for garnish
• 2 cups milk
• 3 Tbs. white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve and let drain in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Discard the captured liquid and place the yogurt in the bowl. Add the grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, mint, chopped dill and milk and mix well. Stir in the vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before serving the soup, season with salt and pepper. Ladle into chilled individual bowls and garnish each serving with a cucumber slice and a dill sprig. Serve well chilled. Serves 6. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration Series, Summer, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1997).

Enjoy!

P.S.  Cucumbers hail from Asia, but do you know which cuisine chilled cucumber soup originally comes from?

(Have a recipe you’d like to share? Tell us about it and we’ll feature it on a Foodie Friday!)