Most food historians credit the Scandinavians with developing chilled, sweet fruit-based soups. Gazpachos, which are chilled soups from the Andalusia region of southern Spain, generally are savory purees of seasonal vegetables and tomatoes. Whateever your preference, these menu additions are a great way to cool down a menu on a sweltering day.
Here are few test kitchen tips and recipes to get you started:
*On the buffet: Put a layer of chipped ice in the bottom of a large clear punch or salad bowl. Set a smaller chilled bowl on top of ice. Add ice chips around the outer edge of the smaller bowl. Carefully pour well-chilled soup into the inside bowl. Let guests ladle the soup into individual serving bowls.
*On the dinner table: Use clear nesting bowls designed for serving shrimp cocktail and frozen desserts. The bottom bowl holds shaved or chipped ice to keep the contents of the top bowl chilled.
*On the picnic menu: Plastic bowls that look like frosted glass make a pretty and practical choice for serving soups at picnics and poolside. For picnics, disposable plastic bowls come in a range of colors.
*Acrylic mugs with linings that freeze are good choices for serving cold soups at pool and deck dinners. If serving the soups at a picnic, tailgate or pool party, carry the garnishes in a resealable plastic bag.
*When toting chilled soups to a picnic or patio gathering, pack the mixture in one large wide-mouth thermal container or small, wide-mouth, individual-serving containers. This will make stirring and serving easy.
Creamy Fruit Soup
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
2 (16-ounce) cans apricots, drained, with juices or syrup reserved, or other canned varieties such as peaches, pears, mixed fruit or sweet cherries
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or other ground spices such as nutmeg, mace or cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)
Mint sprigs (optional)
1. Thinly slice 1 apricot half. Reserve to use as garnish.
2. In food processor, puree remaining apricots with the yogurt. Add enough reserved juice or syrup to make a thick soup, up to about 1/2 cup. Add spice and liqueur, if using, and process just to blend.
3. Pour into bowl, and place in freezer for 20 minutes, or refrigerate about 1 hour until chilled. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and garnish with reserved sliced apricot and mint, if desired.
Spicy Gazpacho
3 slices French bread, crusts removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons good-quality red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 small cans tomato juice
Ice cold water
1 cucumber finely diced
1 small red onion finely diced
1 each: red and green bell pepper, seeded, membranes removed and finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
1. In a food processor, chop the bread into fine crumbs with the garlic. Add olive oil, tomatoes, vinegar, paprika, cumin, cilantro and tomato juice. Puree well and thin to a soupy consistency with the ice water.
2. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Chill for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to meld.