A Summer Zucchini Soup I Have Loved: Zucchini & Goat Cheese Soup with Basil & Lemon for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I was totally going to make soup this week but I got busty on work things and it didn't happen. Since I have friends in the Souper Sundays kitchen, I am going to repost a favorite soup from 2014 instead to lead the roundup.

This Zucchini and Goat Cheese Soup with Basil and Lemon started with me wanting to "soup" up a Nigel Slater zucchini toast recipe, morphed into a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall soup recipe. I really need to make both the toast and the soup again. 

What I said: 

Sometimes, when I eat something that tastes really good, I stop and think, 'can I soup that?' Can I take that combination of flavors that really appeals to me and turn it into a bowl of soup?  Nigel Slater's Zucchini with Basil and Goat Cheese on Toast, a dish I posted earlier in the week, is one of those flavor combos--everything that's good about summer in a bite. I thought it would make a great-tasting soup so I decided to explore and see if anyone else thought so. I found several different variations of zucchini soups with goat cheese online but ended up falling for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Courgette and Goat's Cheese Soup with Basil from the Guardian. I liked its brothy, yet creamy appeal and since it had much of what I was looking for to 'soup' this dish, I just slightly adapted it by adding in lemon juice and zest and topping it with crispy toasted croutons. Exactly what I was craving and with the same great taste of the zucchini toasts--this dish can definitely be successfully 'souped'

The Recipe (with my adaptations):

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Soup with Basil & Lemon 
Adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall via TheGuardian.com  
(Serves 4)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1kg (2.25 lbs) very firm small courgettes, sliced 3-4mm thick
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
About 750ml (about 3.25 cups) whole milk (or use half milk, half veg stock)
1-2 bay leaves
100g (3.5 oz) rindless mild goat's cheese
Basil leaves (or mint, if you prefer)
(I added the zest and 2 Tbsp juice from 1 lemon)
(I added pan-toasted croutons) 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the courgettes and, once they're sizzling nicely but before they start to brown, turn down the heat, season with a little salt (it helps draw out the moisture) and cook gently, stirring often. As they become tender, break them down a little until they have softened almost to the point of mushiness; this can take up to half an hour. Add the garlic when the courgettes are almost done, so it gets a chance to cook but not burn. You should end up with a fragrant, garlicky, rough courgette puree. (I added the lemon zest and juice at this point.) Leave it coarse like this, or blitz in a food processor if you prefer a less chunky soup.

While the courgettes are cooking, put the milk in a pan with the bay leaves. Bring up to just below boiling, then leave to infuse.

Stir the cheese into the courgette mixture, then strain in the hot milk a little at a time and stirring all the while, until the soup is a consistency you like (I like mine fairly thick). Bring the soup scarcely to boiling point, season and ladle into warmed bowls. Top with a good trickle of extra-virgin rapeseed or olive oil, and a few shredded basil leaves (and grilled croutons and additional crumbled goat cheese if desired).

My Notes/Results: 

Rich and decadent without being too heavy, this is a wonderful bowl of soup with great flavors. I did use half milk, half veggie stock in mine and thickened it by pureeing a couple of cups of the zucchini mixture and stirring it back in. The added lemon juice and zest brighten things up and the grilled croutons add a crisp contrast. In addition to the goat cheese blended into the soup, I crumbled a bit more on top with the shredded basil. One of my favorite zucchini soups so far--I would make this again. 

Now let's see who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week.

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor shared two soups this week: The first she says, "Shepherd's Pie Stew made with gnocchi instead of potatoes for dinners and a lunch. ... I used ground chicken but you could use any protein including the Beyond Beef crumbles to make it vegetarian."

And the second: Vegetarian Lentil and Red Bean Soup over sticky rice. ... "Great filling lunch."

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog brought The Quickest Red Lentil Soup Ever, saying "It looks like an exotic feast, but it was one of the quickest and easiest soups I ever made. We were hungry, it was late, and I had nothing prepared for dinner except some plain rice. I decided to make my quickest easiest no prep soup ever which is healthy, delicious and also extremely frugal." 

Thanks to Judee and Tina for joining me this week! 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.
• Although we are pretty wide on what defines a soup, sandwich or salad, entries that are clearly not in the same family (ie: desserts, meats, random main or side dishes that aren't salads, etc.) are meant for another round up and will be deleted. 

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!

 

Ina's Zucchini Vichyssoise: Hot or Cold for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays

I made soup this week! Ina Garten's Zucchini Vichyssoise. After a couple of weeks of lazy, I finally decided that I better use up my wilting veggies and get a soup made. Since it is pretty warm and humid (although nothing like the temperatures my friends and family in the Pacific Northwest are in right now), this is a great soup as it can be enjoyed both hot or cold. 

I changed Ina Garten's recipe slightly--using non-chicken broth, adding a bit more cream, and using my high-speed blender instead of a food mill. Oh, and I added a little Tarragon, just because. 

Zucchini Vichyssoise 

Slightly Adapted by Ina Garten via FoodNetwork.com

(Yields 6 Servings)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp GOOD olive oil ;-)

5 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (about 4-8 leeks)

4 cups chopped, unpeeled white boiling potatoes (I used Yukon potatoes)

3 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 zucchini) 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or light vegetable broth

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

(I added 1/2 tsp dried tarragon)

2 Tbsp heavy cream

fresh chives, julienned zucchini or parsley for garnish

Heat the butter and oil in a large stockpot, add the leeks, and saute over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, zucchini, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and then process through a food mill fitted with the medium disc. Add the cream and season to taste. Serve either cold or hot, garnished with chopped chives and/or zucchini.

Notes/Results: A simple and very tasty soup, the leeks are the prominent flavor here but there is nothing wrong with that. It's a silky and satisfying soup and so far, I have tasted it hot, room temp, and mostly chilled and I think I like room temp or chilled best but I'll you know tomorrow after it sits over night. I would make it again. 

I'll be linking this soup up at I Heart Cooking Clubs this coming week as it will be our June 2021 Potluck theme. 

Let see who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week!

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor shared a Griddled Ham & Cheese with Mustard this week, saying, "A few posts back I mentioned Doug was getting good use of the Blackstone griddle. The  breakfasts are great but so are the grilled sandwiches. The crust was toasted and delicate for this ham and cheese with mustard.  Now that we are home the griddle is set up on the porch.  Guess we will buy another one for camping and storing in the RV."

Radha of The Magical Ingredients for a Wholesome Life From the Heart of My Kitchen is here with Jowar/Sorghum Salad. She says, "This is a simple, colorful, and delicious salad made with Jowar or sorghum that satiates hunger. This salad is easy to make and I guarantee that this is going to be made often in your home. This is a perfect summer salad. Fresh veggies and peanuts give the crunch, jowar provides the carbs as well as fiber and garbanzos give a protein boost along with peanuts. The added spices give a kick to the salad."

Kim of Stirring the Pot brought Ina's Breakfast Sandwich this week, saying, "I thought this was an incredibly delicious and filling sandwich. I was trying to think about how to describe it and words like  "unctuous and top-quality and so satisfying" came to mind. It's only a few simple ingredients, but you can taste them all so well and they all play together so nicely."

Thanks everyone for hanging out with me this week! 

 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.
• Although we are pretty wide on what defines a soup, sandwich or salad, entries that are clearly not in the same family (ie: desserts, meats, random main or side dishes that aren't salads, etc.) are meant for another round up and will be deleted. 

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!

 

Golden Summer Squash and Corn Soup (with Rice) for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays

I pinned an article on "30 Soup Recipes Perfect for Summer" from an Eating Well Magazine email recently and the recipe for Golden Summer Squash and Corn Soup caught my eye this weekend. Summer squash and corn are plentiful right now and it sounded good with the lemon juice and feta cheese. 

Eating Well says, "Pureed summer squash makes a delicious base for this summery squash and corn soup. Start your meal with the soup or enjoy it as a light lunch. Fresh thyme and briny feta cheese give it fabulous flavor. For a variation, try the soup with any herb you have on hand or goat cheese in place of feta. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2009"

I made a couple of small changes to the recipe--using one yellow crook-neck squash and one zucchini and adding an extra cup and a half of broth and a half-cup of rice to the soup. My changes are noted in red below.

Golden Summer Squash and Corn Soup 
Slightly Adapted from EatingWell.com
(Makes 4 Servings)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 medium summer squash (about 1 lb), diced (I used 1 yellow/1 zucchini)
3 tsp chopped thyme or other herbs, divided
(I added 1/2 cup white rice)
1 (14 oz can) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used 4 cups non-chicken broth)
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 large ear)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 teaspoon herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft and mostly translucent, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbs and feta.

Notes/Results: I really like this simple soup with its flavors of lemon, thyme, and feta along with the sweet corn and mild squash. It's relatively quick to make and healthy too. I added extra broth and rice to make it a bit more of a meal but it would be good without--or if you want low carb you could use cauliflower rice. In any case it's tasty and satisfying and I would happily make it again.

Let's see who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week!

Shaheen from Allotment2Kitchen is here with Cherry Tomato Orzo Pasta Salad. She says, "We finally have some homegrown tomatoes. Here we have yellow Galina Cherry tomatoes and chocolate cherry tomatoes - no red ones yet though, they are coming though. I made this Tomato Orzo Pasta Salad."

Thank you to Shaheen for joining me this week! 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy healthy week!

Zucchini, Pea, and Basil Soup by Ottolenghi for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I selected this week's soup when I thought we might be having storm weather but both hurricanes Eric and Flossie are now just tropical depressions and they're just making for very warm and humid weather. We should still get a dump of rain early in the week from Flossie and this soup will be a good lunch for the cold air conditioning of the office. 

From Ottolenghi Simple, this Zucchini, Pea, and Basil Soup is in fact simple both in ingredients and preparation. I didn't feel the need to make changes to the recipe. 

Ottolenghi says, "The way to keep a green soup green is not to overcook it. Once you’ve added the peas and basil to this, take it off the heat and blitz it straight away."

Zucchini, Pea, And Basil Soup 
From Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi
(Makes 8 Servings)

5 Tbsp olive oil (I reduced to 3), plus extra to serve
1 head of garlic, cloves separated & peeled
about 6 medium zucchini, chopped into 1 1/4" slices (about 9 cups)
salt & black pepper
1 quart vegetable stock
2 cups water
4 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 1/2 cups basil leaves
7 oz feta, broken into pieces
1 lemon, finely zested

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium-high flame, then fry the garlic cloves for two to three minutes, stirring often, until caramelized. Add the zucchini, two teaspoons of salt and plenty of pepper, and fry for three minutes, stirring, until starting to brown.

Pour in the stock and cold water, bring to a boil and cook on a high heat for seven to ten minutes, until the zucchini is soft but still bright green. Add the peas, stir through for a minute, then add the basil, turn off the heat and blitz smooth with a stick blender (or in a blender).

To serve, spoon into bowls and top with the feta and lemon zest. Finish with a good grind of black pepper and a final drizzle of oil.

Notes/Results: This soup tastes of summer and is an excellent way to use up a bunch of zucchini and basil if you grow them or are lucky enough to know someone with an overstocked garden. The flavor is good and even better when you add the salty feta cheese and zip from the lemon zest and black pepper. In fact, I think it benefits from a squeeze of the lemon juice too--to add some brighter notes. I am actually curious to try this one cold too, as I think it will be good both ways but I look forward to a warm bowl with some bread for a few easy work lunches this week. I would make it again.

Linking up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where it is Potluck week. Our chance to make any recipe from any of our IHCC featured chefs.

Now let's take a look into the Souper Sundays kitchen:

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor has been cooking up a storm lately with Trader Joe's products and is sharing a sandwich this week. She says, "Hummus! I love hummus. Here is a sandwich I made with a tomato basil hummus spread. Lettuce and Tomato on Toasted Bread. Easy lunch to take to work."

Shaheen of Allotment2Kitchen returns with Crushed Potato, Courgette and Feta Salad. She says, "Once the courgettes were suitably soft, I stirred in some of the homegrown peas, a little salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Then covered it with some feta cheese and spring onions.  I returned it to the oven for a few minutes, before serving it. Even though this was so simple to put together, D liked it very much.  He especially loved the roasted green courgette wedges."

Join me in welcoming Harriet of RecipePocket to Souper Sundays this week. She joins us with Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles and says, "Make this homemade chicken noodle soup with egg noodles and you will have a tasty meal that everyone will enjoy. Made from scratch with a simple chicken broth recipe, this immune boosting chicken soup is great any time of the year. It’s also budget friendly and healthy, what more could you ask for!"

Here at Kahakai Kitchen I tried  and adored Gabrielle Hamilton's Celery Toasts. The buttered toast squares topped with Cambozola blue cheese and a pungent shaved celery salad with garlic, scallions and lemon juice were an excellent blend of textures and flavors and the perfect little open-faced sandwiches to enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine.

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week!

About Souper Sundays:

Souper Sundays (going since 2008) now has a format of a picture link each week where anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches at any time during the week and I post a recap of the entries the following week.

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here. 
If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter 

Have a happy, healthy week!

Jacques Pépin's Seafood Chowder with Salmon & Shrimp for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I wanted a simple chowder this week as I was craving fish and seafood. I found one in Jacques Pépin's Seafood Chowder from More Fast Food My Way. I like the mushroom and zucchini and also was interested in the mashed potato flakes as a thickener. 

I made a few changes--subbing in coconut milk for the half-and-half and adding frozen corn for the sweetness, and leaving my shrimp whole. I also added some smoked paprika at the end. 

Seafood Chowder
Slightly Adapted from More Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pépin 
(Serves 4)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups trimmed, split, washed & sliced leeks
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup coarsely chopped white mushrooms
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups diced (about 1/2-inch) zucchini
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
3/4 cup (1-inch) pieces peeled uncooked shrimp
1 cup (1-inch) pieces boneless fish fillet
2/3 cup half-and-half (I used coconut milk)  

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. When hot, add the leek and garlic and saute for about 1 minute . Add the clam juice, water. mushroom, and salt, bring to a boil, and boil for about 2 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and sprinkle the potato flakes on top, mixing them in with a whisk to prevent lumping. Bring to a boil and boil for about 1 minute. (The soup can be prepared several hours ahead to this point.)

At serving time, bring the soup back to a boil, add the shrimp, fish, and half-and-half and bring back just to a boil. The fish and shrimp will be cooked through. Divide among four bowls and garnish with crab meat or chives, and smoked paprika if desired. Serve immediately. 

Notes/Results: A good solid chowder, with a thick and creamy broth and lots of texture from the ingredients. I did add some smoked paprika to the mix and also squeezed a little lemon on my bowl to give it more of a pop of flavor. I would keep the sweet corn and next time I might add a bit of thyme to the mix, or dill would be another good option. It's hearty without being heavy and pairs well with bread to mop up the broth--I used leftover marbled rye. For the speed and ease, I would make it again.

Linking up with I Heart Cooking Clubs where it is Potluck week--any recipe from any of our featured IHCC chefs.

The lovely Debra is hanging out with me in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week, let's take a look.

Debra of Eliot's Eats shared these Chef Grant's Best Burgers with Sauce Gribiche and Green Apple. She says, "These are great burgers for a weeknight meal. We enjoyed the combination of the creamy sauce gribiche with the slight crunch of the fried apple and the bacon-burger. (And, I am so stealing the onion and caraway mix for future recipes.)

 
Thanks to Debra for joining in!

About Souper Sundays:

Souper Sundays (going since 2008) now has a format of a picture link each week where anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches at any time during the week and I post a recap of the entries the following week.

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here. 
If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...
 

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to it on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!