Cool off with a blender, fresh veggies

Stay super cool this summer with super foods made into chilled soups.

Cold or chilled soups take little effort. Pull out the blender, then the ingredients, give it a whirl and soup’s on.

Most cold soup recipes rely on the basics: chicken broth, ingredients and blender.

A Gulfport attorney, who says he is a wanna-be foodie, asked for a cold cucumber soup recipe. He jokingly said, “I think I can even follow that recipe.”

He was hooked and had to have the recipe after I told him that the recipe I use is easy and flavorful. Cucumbers are plentiful right now, so it is a perfect for a light supper or for a soup course to a grilled dinner.

For an extra punch, an avocado can be added to the cucumber soup.

Cold soups are just refreshing and make good use of fresh vegetables at farmers’ markets or at u-pick farms.

A church friend shared her tomatoes with me, and I had placed an order with DJ’s Produce for more tomatoes. I was running over with tomatoes and didn’t want to lose one, so I tried a new recipe I found for tomato-red bell pepper chilled soup. The remaining tomatoes went into fresh tomato pasta sauce, simply sliced tomatoes and tomato-onion-cucumber salad. All of these are dishes that are low in calories and high in flavor.

Daily Harvest is a prepackaged food delivery company that does ship to the Coast. Buyers simply put the meals together. The tomato-red pepper soup is one of the company’s recipes.

A campechana extra or Mexican seafood cocktail takes me back to Texas. A now-shuttered Mexican restaurant in Baytown, TX., served a wonderful cold seafood cocktail. Served with tortilla chips, this spicy shrimp cocktail is a meal. In July of 2017, Epicurious published a cold shrimp cocktail that was kicked up a notch with the addition of crab meat. This dish is perfect for the Coast and its fresh Gulf seafood.

Again, this cocktail makes use of fresh ingredients.

Avocados are good fats and make a cold soup into a meal. I like to be bad and add a dollop of sour cream with a sprig of cilantro before serving. This is a rich soup that goes great with crusty bread.

Take the heat out of the kitchen and bring out the blender. Dinner can be a healthy, cool, no stress meal of chilled soup, crackers or crusty bread.

Wanted: Blackberry dumplings

Pictures of blackberry dumplings looked so tempting on Facebook this week. Myrna Teel said she would like a recipe. Readers, do you have a blackberry dumpling recipe? If so, please send it to me.

TOMATO AND RED PEPPER SOUP

Organic vegetables were used in this recipe, but fresh farm vegetables can be used. I did.

Ingredients (use amounts that fit the number of eaters): Tomatoes, peaches (peeled), red bell peppers, cucumbers, shallot, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar and Himalayan pink sea salt.

Fill cup with warmed (not steaming!) broth or water. Transfer contents to a blender and blend for 30 seconds, or until smooth. Pour blended soup back into cup or transfer to a bowl and enjoy. – From Daily Harvest

CHILLED CUCMBER SOUP

3 medium cucumbers, peeled, chopped and seeded

3 tablespoons chopped green pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dill weed

Combine all ingredients and puree in blender. Chill and serve. Serves 6 to 8.

COLD AVOCADO CUCUMBER SOUP

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can water

1 avocado, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1 medium cucumber, diced

3 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

Salt, pepper, garlic salt and dill weed to taste.

Combine all ingredients and chill. This is a great light soup that will still allow you to enjoy the entrée without being full. – “Lone Star Legacy”

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP

3 ripe avocados, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion salt

White pepper to taste

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Lemon sliced to garnish

Purple onion slices to garnish

Combine avocado and chicken broth in blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Remove from blender and stir in half and half, salt, onion salt and white pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir in lemon juice before serving. Garnish with lemon and purple onion slices. Serves 4 to 6. – “Lone Star Legacy”

CAMPECHANA EXTRA

(Mexican Seafood Cocktail)

2 medium New Mexico or Anaheim, poblano or Hatch chiles (about 6 ounces)

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed

Kosher salt

1 small tomato, seeded, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1-2 jalapenos, stems, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1/2 cup tomato-clam cocktail, such as Clamato juice

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons chopped pitted green olive

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound crabmeat (preferably jumbo lump), picked over

1 avocado, pitted, cubed

1 fresh bay leaf, optional

Tortilla chips (for serving)

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat or preheat broiler. If broiling, placed chiles on a rimmed baking sheet. Grill, broil or roast chiles directly over flame on stovetop, turning occasionally, until very tender and blackened all over, 10-12 minutes. Poblanos might take a little longer, so test doneness with a paring knife.

Transfer chiles to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let steam 15 minutes. Peel chiles. Halve lengthwise, discard seeds, and chop into 1/4 -inch pieces.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cooks shrimp until just opaque and pink, 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to an ice bath and let sit until cool, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Mix chiles, tomato, jalapenos, Clamato juice, ketchup, olives, cilantro, onion, oregano, garlic, lime juice, oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Carefully fold in shrimp, crab and avocado.

Transfer to a serving bowl or tall sundae glass and top with bay leaf, if using. Serve with tortilla chips alongside.

Do ahead:

Salsa base (without seafood and avocado) can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to resealable container and chill. – Epicurious, July 2017

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.

This story was originally published June 27, 2018 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Cool off with a blender, fresh veggies."