Soup of the Season

Soup anchors my menus all year. In cold weather, I use hearty grain or bean soups; in hot weather, the lighter vegetable soups, served chilled. Whether sweet or savory, they are quick to prepare and soothing to eat when the weather is hot.

Most of my warm-weather soups can be meals in themselves. I make them up to two days before serving time, refrigerate them in tightly covered containers and adjust the seasonings before serving. I like the curried zucchini soup served with a hearty chopped salad and French bread, the carrot and peanut soup with crackers and hummus. Small amounts of chilled soup are perfect as an easy starter to a dinner party.

Since there is very little fat in most savory chilled soups, quality ingredients are essential for flavor. Use only the freshest vegetables and herbs.

Aromatic vegetables like garlic and onions need to be sauteed before pureeing into a chilled soup. The secret to extracting the sweetest flavor from them is a long, slow saute with plenty of stirring to prevent browning. If garlic and onions brown, a slight bitterness is released, which strongly flavors the soup and cannot be masked. I recommend using a Dutch oven or other heavy pan to allow the heat to be distributed evenly during the sauteing and lessen the chance of browning.

When making savory chilled soups, it’s a good idea to check the seasonings again right before serving. After sauteing, when the soup is warm, there is often stronger flavor. Once chilled, the flavor dims a little. Adjust the salt and pepper or add a boost of extra chopped herbs to counteract this.

CURRIED ZUCCHINI SOUP

If your garden is overflowing with zucchini, turn the bumper crop into creamy buttermilk-based soup. Curry gives this soup a beautiful hue; rich flavor comes from a long saute to soften the vegetables before pureeing.

1/4 cup defatted chicken stock

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 large onion, minced

3 medium zucchini, chopped

4 green onions, chopped, including greens

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1 to 2 teaspoons honey

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin or to taste

3 cups low-fat buttermilk

Salt, pepper

Combine stock and oil in medium Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, zucchini and green onions. Saute, stirring frequently, until onions are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let onions brown or bitter flavor will result.

Add curry powder, honey and cumin. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Puree in blender in batches along with buttermilk. Chill soup thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

124 calories; 309 mg sodium; 6 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.97 gram fiber.

CARROT AND PEANUT SOUP

I’ve adapted this delicious Thai soup that comes from Miami chef Amanda Cushman. Though lower in fat than most Thai soups, it’s still creamy and rich--an excellent starter for a Thai menu.

1 pound baby carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups defatted chicken stock

Chopped cilantro

1/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup dry Sherry or apple juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

Low-sodium soy sauce or salt

Combine carrots and stock in heavy 3- to 4- quart saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium heat until carrots are tender, 10 minutes. Strain, reserving stock. Puree carrots in blender, using small amounts of stock if needed. Add 1/4 cup cilantro and 3 tablespoons peanuts. Process again to puree. Set aside.

Heat Sherry and oil in same pan over medium heat. When hot, add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add milk and whisk until well blended. Add pureed carrot mixture and reserved stock. Stir well. Cover and chill 1 hour. Season to taste with soy sauce. Serve garnished with remaining peanuts and extra cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

209 calories; 317 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.66 grams fiber.

HERBED CREAM OF CORN SOUP

Celebrate corn season with this simple soup from Gourmet magazine; I adapted it to reduce the fat by using defatted stock and substituting nonfat milk for the half and half originally called for.

4 cups cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup defatted chicken stock

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup nonfat milk

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt, pepper

Puree corn, stock, green onions and thyme in blender until smooth. Strain through sieve set over bowl. Press hard on solids to extract flavor. Discard solids. Stir milk and parsley into soup. Cover and chill 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

164 calories; 279 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.16 grams fiber.