Cucumber Gazpacho

This summer has been a scorcher so far!  What better on a hot day then a chilled soup?  Cucumbers are in abundance at the farmers market so a refreshing gazpacho recipe seemed very appropriate to share this week.  Spice it up to your liking, you can even garnish with some cooked shrimp!

Makes 6 servings

8 cups Cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 4 large)

2 cups Green peppers, seeded and chopped*

2 Scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 cup Vegetable stock

2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1 tablespoon Fresh mint

2 tablespoons Fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or more to taste)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ground Black pepper

Process all of the ingredients except the olive oil and black pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth (you may have to process in batches).  Taste for heat and salt preference, cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serve in individual bowls, top with fresh ground pepper and drizzle with a good quality olive oil.

* Feel free to add a spicy pepper too.

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Kale and white bean soup

Kale and white bean soup

Serves 8

The hearty and earthiness of kale makes this soup an easy choice for a lunch, starter, or even a main meal on a chilly weeknight. The beautiful head of kale used for this dish was a full 3-foot across and came straight from the field just cut by the farmer.

Some notes on preparation: the addition of rosemary and red pepper flakes into the olive oil in the first step enables these flavors to infuse throughout the dish and enhances the rich flavor. Mashing a portion of the cooked beans will act to thicken the broth.

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, diced

2 quarts low sodium stock, vegetable or chicken broth (see page xx)

10 cups kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

2 cups diced tomatoes (see page xx)

4 cups white beans cooked or 2-15.5oz cans low sodium beans, drained and rinsed

2 bay leaves

1 cup romano cheese, grated

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

In a large stockpot heat oil, rosemary, and pepper flakes over medium heat.

Add onions, garlic, and carrot. Saute until onions are just translucent - 3 or 4 minutes.

To the vegetables add stock, kale, tomatoes, and 3 cups of beans, reserving 1 cup of the beans.

Place the reserved beans in a bowl and mash with a fork, add to the soup.

Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves, and incorporate grated cheese into the soup.

Serve hot with crusty bread.