Cold Soups
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Cold soups are not only refreshing, but easy to make—some don’t even require cooking before being chilled! Serve these frosty pleasers in pretty clear glass soup bowls or cups that have been placed in the freezer for an hour.

WATERCRESS VICHYSSOISE    This remarkably quick soup is company-good. Except for the potatoes, everything goes into the pot whole. The watercress stems can be removed quickly from the entire bunch at once by simply twisting them off. Or, use a knife to chop the stems off just below the leaf line. Depending on how starchy the potatoes are, the soup may become very thick after pureeing, particularly when cold. No problem...it can easily be thinned by stirring in a small amount of additional chicken broth or milk. By the way, for those who are wondering, the name of this soup is pronounced vihsh-ee-SWAHZ or VEE-shee-swahz, but the final "S" (which sounds like "Z") is always pronounced.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk or half & half
2 (8- to 10-ounce) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
2 bunches watercress, rinsed, blotted dry and stems removed
2 small garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
salt
about 1/3 cup sour cream
4 to 6 sprigs of watercress (rinsed and blotted dry) for garnish
    In a large saucepan, combine first 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Use blender to puree soup in batches (always start at low speed and gradually increase to high). Return soup to pan; salt to taste. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours, or until cold. Cover soup once it has chilled (soup may be refrigerated for up to 3 days). For quick chilling, place uncovered pan of soup in freezer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (don’t let ice crystals form). Because flavors become muted when cold, check the seasoning again before serving. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream topped with a sprig of watercress.
© Sharon Tyler Herbst 

MINTED TOMATO BISQUE   This is the perfect summertime starter, when the weather is hot and the tomatoes and mint are abundant and at their prime. It's also perfect for a hot summer day because there's no cooking whatsoever involved. If you don't have full-flavored, vine-ripened tomatoes, use canned tomatoes, the flavor of which will be much better than the gas-ripened tomatoes commonly found in supermarkets. There is, however, no substitute for fresh mint. And keep in mind that the mintiness of the soup will naturally depend on how the type of mint used. Peppermint is more pungent than spearmint.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped, OR 1 (28-oz.) can peeled tomatoes
1 medium clove garlic,minced
1/2 cup (firmly packed) fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup buttermilk or low-fat sour cream
salt
4 small mint sprigs for garnish
   Combine all ingredients except salt and mint sprigs in a blender jar. Cover and blend at low speed, gradually increasing to high, until mixture is smooth. Strain into a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Place in freezer 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, salt to taste. Ladle into individual soup cups. Garnish each serving with a small mint sprig.
© Sharon Tyler Herbst

 ICY SPICY AVGOLEMONO   The lemony avgolemono (ahv-goh-LEH-moh-noh) is the king of Greek soups. This delicious non-traditional rendition takes three steps away from the classic--the rice is pureed, spices are added, and it's served cold. Having the eggs at room temperature will mean that they'll incorporate more easily with the hot liquid. Making this soup the day before you serve it will allow the flavors to develop. Serve this refreshingly frosty soup as a starter, or with salad or sandwich for lunch or a light dinner.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 lemon slices (1/8-inch-thick)
additional freshly grated nutmeg
    In a medium saucepan, combine first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until rice is tender. Meanwhile, put eggs into a blender; cover and process until frothy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add lemon juice through the hole in the lid, a tablespoon at a time, blending well after each addition. With machine still running, add 1 cup of the hot soup, 1/4 cup at a time, blending well after each addition.
    Whisking constantly, slowly pour egg mixture into remaining soup. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, just until soup is steaming and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Overcooking will cause soup to curdle (but don’t worry if does—the next step will smooth it out). Pour soup, in batches, into a blender; process each batch for 1 minute, or until pureed. To prevent scalding yourself, begin at low speed and gradually increase to high. Strain soup through a fine sieve, using the back of a spoon to rub rice through. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with a lemon slice dusted lightly with freshly grated nutmeg.
© Sharon Tyler Herbst