A far cry from the usual sour-cream-and-dill cucumber soup and a welcome change in midsummer, this soup may be prepared a day or two in advance, and can be made more substantial by adding about a cup of cold cooked crabmeat or shrimp at the last minute.
Ingredients
About 4 pounds of long, "English" cucumbers
2 small fresh chiles, minced, or dried red pepper flakes to taste
2 tablespoons nam pla or nuoc mam (Asian fish sauce), or salt to taste
Juice of 3 limes
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup cooked crabmeat or shrimp chunks (optional)
Instructions
1. Wash the cucumbers, but don’t peel them. Cut off a piece of one and mince enough to make 1 cup; set aside. Put the rest of the cucumbers through a juicer, or puree in a blender or food processor and wring the resulting pulp in a cheesecloth to extract the juice.
2. Season the juice with the chiles, nam pla, and lime juice. Chill well. (You may prepare the recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.)
3. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve, garnished with the reserved minced cucumber, mint, cilantro, and crabmeat or shrimp, if using.
From Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman.
Each week, The Splendid Table brings you stories that expand your world view, inspire you to try something new and show how food brings us together. We rely on you to do this. And, when you donate, you'll become a member of The Splendid Table Co-op. It's a community of like-minded individuals who love good food, good conversation and kitchen companionship. Splendid Table Co-op members will get exclusive content each month and have special opportunities for connecting with The Splendid Table team.
Donate today for as little as $5.00 a month. Your gift only takes a few minutes and has a lasting impact on The Splendid Table and you'll be welcomed into The Splendid Table Co-op.