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Zucchini-Lemon Soup
 
The Cook and the Gardener:
A Year of Recipes and Writings
from the French Countryside
by Amanda Hesser, 1999, W. W. Norton & Company
(from
Summer – July)
“This is
a great way to use up old zucchini, when raw, old zucchini are
about as
interesting as a day-old newspaper. Light cooking and a little
lemon in this
soup refreshes the vegetable.
If you have a ton of zucchini, double or triple the recipe, omitting the
milk and the heavy cream. Freeze it in plastic containers. Then, when
zucchini is out of season, you can defrost it, warm it in a pan, and finish
it with the milk and cream.”
Serves 4
Special
Equipment: Parchment paper (optional); food processor
or immersion
blender
2 – 3 medium or 2 large zucchini (about 2 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for sprinkling
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 shallot lobe, sliced thin lengthwise
2 tablespoons white wine
Coarse or kosher salt
1 cup milk, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon chopped wild thyme or
regular French thyme (about 4 sprigs)
1. Peel and seed the zucchini: Zucchini rarely needs much
prepping aside from purging [salting and allowing to stand for 20 minutes to
draw out
the water], but for this dish you want a light-colored smooth soup,
so
some work is required. Begin by cutting off the stem and flower ends
close to the zucchini flesh. Then use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin
from the zucchini. (If it bothers you to waste this, you may include it;
or
reserve it and sauté the strips of skin in olive oil for another meal.)
Cut the zucchini lengthwise in half, then in quarters. If the zucchini are
older and the seeds are large, you will want to remove them by laying
each quarter
on its side and cutting along where the seeds and flesh
meet. Discard the
seeds. If the zucchini are very young, the seeds are
usually insignificant
and can remain a part of the soup. Now cut the
quarters crosswise into
even-sized cubes (about 1 inch).
2. In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil with half of the
grated lemon
zest, all of the zucchini, and the garlic, shallot, and white
wine. Season
lightly with salt, and lay a piece of parchment paper or a lid
over the
mixture to cover. Sweat over medium-low heat, stirring from time to
time, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the zucchini is soft all the way through
and there are just a few tablespoons of liquid remaining in the pan. You
may
have to do this in two batches if you do not have a very large pan.
If so,
omit the garlic and shallots from the second batch.
3. Purée in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or
with an immersion blender directly in the pan (if it is deep enough), then
pass through a
sieve. Now you’re probably asking, “Why did I have to bother
removing
the seeds if it’s going through a sieve?” Because the seeds are
just small
enough to
clog your sieve and make this step a slow, painful one.
In a
large saucepan, combine the puree with the milk, cream, and thyme.
The
soup should be
light and creamy, so you may need to add more
milk or water
to attain the right consistency. (Water may be better,
because you do not
want the soup
to taste milky.)
4. Heat through, adjust the seasoning, and ladle into four
individual bowls. Serve warm or cool, drizzling with olive oil and
sprinkling some of the remaining grated lemon zest on top of each serving
just before going to
the table.
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