Cucumber Zucchini Soup

I love soup any day of the year but my favorite soups are the ones my mother made with vegetables from our garden. Now that the farmer's markets have re-opened in Hoboken, I look forward to making huge pots of these to enjoy on even the hottest of summer days.

This particular soup solved an ongoing dilemma in the Schmitt household - what to do with the onslaught of zucchini plucked from my father's garden. In particular, what to do with the extra-large ones that were left to grow a bit too long. Because of their large, inedible seeds, they were assigned to dishes like this one by discarding said seeds and using the flesh alone.

Choose your weapon

Ingredients:

3-4 medium zucchini (or 1 jumbo!), sliced

1-2 medium cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and sliced

3 ribs celery, sliced

2 scallions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4-5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp dill

1/2 tsp thyme

Salt & pepper

1 cup heavy cream (or milk, yogurt, sour cream)

Simmer zucchini, cucumber, celery and scallions with herbs in broth until soft.

Before

After

Let cool slightly. Puree in blender or food processor.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cream.