Summer Squash Soup
Roasting the squash for this soup is worth the sacrifice of temporarily overheating the kitchen in the middle of the summer. As with most soups, it absolutely can be prepared raw, but in this case, the flavor profile benefits from a quick trip to the oven or grill, prior to blending. The good news is that soups, in general, are designed to be simple to prepare, so there is minimal prep time spent in front of high temperature appliances.
Ingredients:
3 green zucchini, diced
2 yellow zucchini, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
6 large garlic cloves
1 lemon, sliced
1-2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
2 Tablespoons algae or grapeseed oil, for roasting
2 cups vegetable stock, prepared
1 bunch of fresh mint, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Pine nuts, garnish
Preheat the oven to 465 degrees (don't know why, just my go-to). Dress the squash, onion , garlic, lemon slices and rosemary with oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and roast for approximately 30 minutes, until well cooked through and lightly browned. Pick out the lemon slices and transfer contents to your Ninja, or, place in a medium sized pot right away and blend with an immersion blender. Either way, slowly incorporate the vegetable stock until you reach the consistency that suits you. I prefer a smooth consistency for this soup, so I blend away with reckless abandon and maybe add in half of the stock on hand. Two cups is simply a general measurement and should be plenty, regardless of your preference.
If you have chosen to blend the soup your Ninja or Vitamix, transfer the contents back to the stock pot, set to low heat, to cook through and finish. At this point, I add in the fresh mint, little by little, until it has met the approval of my taste buds. A dash of Himalayan salt, white pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of pine nuts serve as the final flourish. The mantra here is, "Roast, Blend, Brighten". That simple.
Feel free to add some wild rice or serve with a fresh baguette as a warm meal on cooler evenings, or, chill in the refrigerator for a refreshing cold soup or appetizer.
Enjoy!