Zippy Zucchini Soup
By June Naylor
Photo by Meda Kessler
Feastivities GouRmet-To-Go Market & Catering
Soups make satisfying meals anytime, and cold ones are just the antidote for hot weather. At Feastivities, owner-chef Charissa Christopher rotates cool choices like vichyssoise and other vegetable-based favorites onto the gourmet-to-go market’s menus. With an abundance of squash to make the most of this time of year, here’s a way to use up all that zucchini. This refreshing soup gets a flavor buzz from fresh jalapeno — use as little or as much as pleases your palate — and change out ingredients to suit your taste, too. For a richer mix, use butter and cream instead of olive oil and milk. Adjust the flavor profile with cilantro or basil. Garnish at serving time with a good, hard salty cheese like Parmesan or Cotija cheese from Mexico. And you don’t have to rotate this soup out of your kitchen come cooler weather — it’s equally good served warm.
Zippy Zucchini Soup
Serves 4-6
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ to 1 whole jalapeno, seeds, stems and ribs removed, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2½ pounds zucchini (about 6 to 8), seeded and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup cream or milk
- 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or basil
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, optional
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan or crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish
Warm butter or olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion with jalapeno, garlic and salt, cooking until onion is transparent.
Add zucchini, cream or milk, broth, herbs and breadcrumbs, if using. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to very low, and simmer until zucchini is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow soup to cool. Using a food processor or an immersion blender, puree in batches. If you like a soup with more texture, reserve a little unprocessed soup to combine with the pureed portion. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate, chilling thoroughly.
To serve, garnish with Parmesan or Cotija cheese.
FEASTIVITIES This grab-and-go emporium offers a weekly menu of take-away foods, from cold salads and dips to ready-to-heat dinners and desserts. This soup is on the menu Aug. 31-Sept. 5 and may show up again in another month; it’s $6.50 per pint and $12 per quart. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; curbside service available. 3637 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-377-3011, feastivitiesinc.com