They’ve got it all: summer soups are great for health, packed with vitamins because they often contain raw food, and great thirst quenchers during those hot periods. Summer soups also have a significant advantage: they are ready in no time and allow for a lot of creativity.
For a raw base, choose cucumber, zucchini, tomato, melon or watermelon, without sparing with aromatic herbs such as basil or tarragon. If you have to cook vegetables, don’t hesitate to season the broth with spices or, for example, coconut milk for carrots. The blender turns out to be your most faithful ally to obtain simply ground beautiful textures or even a very smooth and delicate velvety texture.
A few creative and tasteful touches
These summer express soups call for chilling in the fridge, don’t forget the little creative and flavorful touches that make all the difference: for example, place ricotta quenelle on top of basil-flavored zucchini rolls. Or add toasted coconut chips and a few grilled onions to cold carrot soup with coconut milk.
Another idea: sprinkle a few strips of mimoletti or parmesan on the mango green velouté. You can also add a few vegetable balls with the melon ball for color and texture. As for sweet soups, usually fruit, they are the last bouquet of summer meals with lightness and originality.
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Recipes
► Gazpacho with zucchini balls
Gazpacho with zucchini balls. /Emmanuel Auger
for 4 people
900 g of tomatoes
2 zucchini
4 spring onions
2 slices of stale bread
3 sprigs of basil
1 drop of olive oil
Fine salt
Ground pepper
Using a melon baller, scoop balls out of each zucchini and steam them for 5 minutes before cooling in ice water. Put the rest of the zucchini in a blender with the seeded and halved tomatoes and the bread cut into small cubes. Add spring onions, salt and pepper. Pour olive oil on top and mix well.
To get a very smooth gazpacho, put it through a fine sieve and put it in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, divide the gazpacho into soup plates or bowls. Place zucchini balls and basil leaves.
► Strawberry soup with white chocolate
Strawberry soup with white chocolate. /Emmanuel Auger
for 4 people
250 g PGI Périgord strawberries
50 g of powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lime
100 g of white chocolate
15 cl of whole whipped cream
1 pinch of white Penja pepper (optional)
Peel the strawberries and mix with powdered sugar, lime juice and Penja pepper. Pass this preparation through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to obtain a creamy texture. The book is cool.
Just before serving, heat the whipped cream and add pre-chopped white chocolate. Turn off the heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Divide the strawberry soup into four cups, pour the melted white chocolate into fine swirls and enjoy immediately.
► Almond velouté and kiwi brunoise with mint
Almond velouté and kiwi brunoise with mint. /Emmanuel Auger
for 4 people
4 Adour PGI kiwifruit
6 mint leaves
50 cl of milk
75 g of sugar
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons bitter almond extract
Boil the milk with the bitter almond extract. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they become white. Pour boiling milk and mix. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, like a custard, until the mixture coats a spoon. Let cool.
Meanwhile, peel and cut the kiwis into brunoise (very small cubes). Finely chop the mint and add to the kiwi brunoise. Place a tall dough circle (diameter 5 cm) in four cups and fill it with brunoise. Pour over the almond powder and remove the circle. Enjoy well chilled.