During these dog days of August, turning on the stove can prompt the question "are you freakin' nuts?"
Ok, ok, full disclosure: we live in hermetically sealed central air comfort, with very little sun making it through our condo's windows thanks to the building directly south blocking out most of its rays. It's hard to remember eating this soup in our old hot, bright Annex apartment. I almost want to romanticize that place in the summer; we were dependent on fans, fitful breezes, cold washcloths on the back of the neck, cool showers, and creative array of no-cook dinners - cold soups, salads, sandwiches and lots of ice water to keep from overheating. However, as much as I don't miss the discomfort of heat alerts, there's something about central air and double-paned glass that divorces me from the season, and pretty much homogenizes the entire year once I'm home. I wish I was as brave as Oliver Broudy - his Salon.com article articulates my love-hate relationship with the HVAC unit.
It's kind of a shame as I eat this cucumber soup - some of its point is lost if I'm not sweltering as it eat it. It's filled with so many cooling elements - cucumbers, of course, yogurt, and mint. Making it is laughably easy, with peeling and removing the seeds of the cucumbers the only step that takes a few minutes, and the rest of the recipe is as simple as making a smoothie. Lately I imagine eating it on a sunny patio, or in someone's leafy backyard. It just doesn't get any better than that.
2 ½ English cucumbers, peeled
1 cup no-fat chicken broth
2/3 cup chilled plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
2 tbsp shredded mint
4-5 drops of Tobasco
salt and freshly ground pepper
Cut cucumbers in half and remove seeds with a teaspoon. Cut cucumbers into 3/4" slices.
Purée cucumber, chicken broth, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice in a blender until smooth.
Stir in chives, mint and Tabasco; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place covered blender jar in fridge to allow soup to chill.
Adapted from Food in 15 Minutes, Marie Claire, Gillian Duffy, year unknown