I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! We were quite busy around here with kids home, family visits, garden tending, and homework (for me, anyway)!
This weekend we enjoyed a very nice barbecue at my Mom's house. We were outside on the picnic table with the perfect temperature embracing us as we ate scrumptious food. Such a pretty evening.
My food contribution was this chilled soup. Cooling and fresh, it's a welcome addition to a summer meal. Since we were eating outside, I decided to serve it in little glasses-----so much easier. In fact, offering little servings of soup in shot glasses is a favorite of mine; especially as an appetizer!
I used Borage leaves in this soup. They have a slight cucumber flavor that blends well into this soup's flavors. If you don't have Borage in your garden, just omit. Also, be sure to use a fresh-tasting feta to top this soup. My favorite is Pastures of Eden (I buy it at Trader Joes), or a local goat's milk feta.
Chilled Cucumber and Herb Soup
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded
2 C. plain yogurt
1/2 C. cold water
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 C. fresh parsley
2 T. fresh dill
5 Borage leaves (optional)
1 juicy garlic clove, peeled
3 scallions, white and green part
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
For topping the soup:
Feta cheese (1/4 C. crumbled feta per serving)
1 small cucumber, diced
Method: Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. It becomes a wonderful green color! Taste and adjust seasoning---- you'll need to add enough salt to bring out the flavors. I like fresh ground pepper on the soup, too!
Serve chilled and topped with 1/4 C. crumbled feta and 2 T. diced cucumber.
Again, it makes a great appetizer, passed around in shot glasses on the deck... If you really want to get fancy, top each serving with a Borage flower and a sprig of dill.
