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Cold Avocado and Cucumber Soup

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

There’s nothing more refreshing than a chilled soup for lunch or dinner during the dog days of summer, especially when there’s no cooking needed. I like to add a different kind of heat with a fresh hot pepper, but you can omit it if you aren’t a fan!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds cucumbers, about 2-3 large ones
  • 1 small jalapeño, halved and seeded, optional
  • 2 ripe Hass avocados
  • 2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt or skyr
  • 3 large scallions, trimmed
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled 
  • 1 cup packed of fresh parsley, dill, and chives 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 
  • 1/2 cup water, more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine, more to taste
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnishes: thin slices of avocado, a dollop of yogurt or skyr, more fresh herbs

Directions

Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and use a large spoon to scoop out and discard most of the seeds; leave on the peel. Cut the cucumbers into chunks for easier puréeing. If using the pepper, halve it, scoop out the seeds and veins, and discard them along with the stem. Scoop all the flesh out of the avocados.

Step 2

Working in batches as needed, add the cucumbers, avocados, pepper if using, yogurt, scallions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, water, and vinegar to your food processor bowl or blender and process until puréed—the mixture should be fairly thick. If it’s too thick, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it’s pourable. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Step 3

To serve, ladle portions into soup bowls or glasses, garnish as desired, and drizzle with more olive oil.

Yields 8 servings

Sweet Corn Gazpacho with Avocado Crema

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This unusual twist on gazpacho takes advantage of tender sweet corn at its peak. As you’ll see from the recipe, we’re emphasizing corn’s gorgeous yellow color. When buying, look for ears with fresh stems (like cut flowers)—not brown or dessicated. Like flowers, you can recut the ends and store the ears upright in sugared water in a cool place for a day or two. Aji amarillo is a spicy yellow chile grown in South America. You can often buy it in paste form online or in the international aisle of larger supermarkets.

Ingredients

For the gazpacho:

  • 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked, silk removed
  • 2 ripe yellow heirloom tomatoes, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • One 6-inch cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste, or more to taste (optional; for heat)
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional; for color)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the avocado crema and for serving::

  • 2 small ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • Juice of one lime, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or more to taste
  • Yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh cilantro leaves or minced fresh chives

Directions

Step 1

Make the gazpacho: If the corn is exquisitely fresh and tender, you can cut it off the cob (be sure to reserve the juices and 1/2 cup of kernels for serving) and add it directly to the food processor or blender without cooking it. Otherwise, you may want to blanch it in actively simmering water for a couple of minutes. To the corn, add the tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper, cucumber, and aji amarillo, if using. Process until smooth. If the machine needs liquid to get going, add a bit of vegetable broth or ice water. Add a teaspoon of salt, the turmeric, if using, and the vinegar. Slowly add the olive oil while the machine is running. Taste, adding more aji amarillo or salt, if desired. Cover and refrigerate the gazpacho.

Step 2

Make the avocado crema shortly before serving: In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the avocados, crema, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Step 3

Serve the gazpacho in your favorite glass or bowl; top with a smear of the avocado crema; a few cherry tomato halves and corn kernels; a drizzle of olive oil; and garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6

Creamy Crab & Corn Chowder

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Shelled crabmeat is readily available at many markets, and this recipe is delicious whether you use claw meat or the more expensive lump crabmeat. Grating the onion on a box grater will separate out most of its liquid, making for a faster sauté.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 8 ounces cooked crabmeat
  • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, canned, or frozen
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

Heat a medium saucepan. When hot, add the olive oil and onions. Sauté over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and any liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar to the pan. When it starts to boil, sprinkle on the flour and whisk vigorously until you get a thick paste, about 3 minutes, allowing the flour to cook. Add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and continue to whisk vigorously, letting the mixture thicken before adding the next 1/2 cup. Add the half-and-half in the same way. Lower the heat to a simmer and fold in the crabmeat, corn kernels, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat through, about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.

Yields 4-6 servings

French Onion Soup With Cheesy Croutons

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This simple adaptation of the classic French onion soup is a meal in itself—perfect for lunch or dinner. If you’ve got a free afternoon, making your own rich beef stock is a slow-food pleasure, but a store-bought brand will still deliver rich taste. Take the time to fully caramelize the onions at the start of this recipe—that’s where most of the active cooking time is needed and where the deep flavor develops. You’ll be well rewarded for the effort. This recipe is for a very large batch, enough for two or three meals, depending on how many people you’re serving. For the melted cheese topping, this twist on bread rounds is fun and easier to eat with a spoon! 

Ingredients

For the soup:

  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 pounds yellow onions, peeled and sliced into roughly ½” rounds
  • Coarse salt
  • Sugar
  • 1/2 cup cognac
  • 8 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup dry vermouth
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the croutons:

  • 10 baguette slices, about ½” thick, cut into cubes
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese

Directions

Step 1

Caramelize the onions: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Note: Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to work in batches or use two skillets at once. Add one tablespoon of the oil for every pound of onions you sauté at a time. As you place the onions in the pan, separate each slice into rounds. Toss the onions in the oil and then cover the pan to sweat the onions for about 10 minutes over low-medium heat, taking care not to burn them. Take off the cover, sprinkle the onions with large pinches of salt and sugar, and continue cooking until they become soft and browned, up to 50 minutes (the liquid in the pan will evaporate; add a tablespoon of water as needed to prevent burning). At the end of the cooking time, add the cognac to deglaze the pan and then transfer everything to a large stockpot.

Step 2

To finish the soup: Add the beef stock and vermouth to the stockpot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for another hour. Taste and add black pepper, if desired.

Step 3

For the croutons: Just before serving the soup, turn on your oven to broil. Spread out the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and toast under the broiler, watching closely, as it should take only a few seconds. Very carefully, take the sheet out of the oven and use tongs to push the toasted croutons together. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and put back under the broiler until the cheese melts, again for only a few seconds.

Step 4

To serve, ladle soup into bowls or wide mugs and, using tongs, top each with some cheesy croutons.

Yields 10-12 servings