If we're paying attention, every venture into the kitchen is an opportunity for us to learn and improve.
A few weeks ago, a friend asked if I had a chilled cucumber soup recipe that I could share. It was funny that she would ask just then, because I'd been craving that very thing for several days. And as it happened, there was a recipe for it in my book Essentials of Southern Cooking. I sent it along to her, then toddled off to the store to buy the ingredients for a batch of my own.
But while I was making it, I found myself dissatisfied with that recipe as it was published. Not that it didn't work or wasn't good, but its ingredients list and instructions could have been clearer and the texture no longer quite satisfied me.
I let my mind cogitate about how to improve it, then headed back to the store again. More cucumber helped both the texture and flavor, and better measurements, including weighing those cucumbers, made the recipe itself clearer and easier to follow.
Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks? This one does it all the time.
Cucumber Buttermilk Soup
My original recipe called for half a cup of the cucumber to be diced and added after the soup was pureed. You may certainly do that if it suits you, and I've kept the option in the step, but now I like the smooth texture without the chunks. And besides, if it's all liquid, it can also be passed in cups as a stand-up appetizer for guests to sip while they're waiting to be called to the table or buffet line.
Serves 4-6
3 large, firm cucumbers or about 2 large seedless (sometimes called English) cucumbers, about 1½ pounds (see step 1)
3-4 large or 4-6 small scallions or other green onions (see step 1)
2 cups whole milk buttermilk or plain, whole milk kefir or yogurt
Salt and whole white pepper in a mill
½ cup heavy whipping cream, optional
About 1 rounded tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional
1. Lightly peel the cucumbers with a vegetable peeler, leaving a blush of green on them. Cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds (for regular cucumbers; this isn't necessary for "seedless" ones). Slice them a little less than ¼-inch-thick. You should have a generous 4 cups. I no longer do this, but for texture, you may small-dice enough of them to make ½ cup and set them aside to add after the soup is pureed. Trim, wash, and thinly slice the scallions. You will need ¾ cup, but after you've made this a few times, you may adjust the amount to suit your taste. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of their green tops for garnish.
2. Put the sliced cucumber, scallion, and buttermilk or kefir into a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Puree on high speed until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Taste and then season to taste with salt and several liberal grindings of pepper. Pulse to mix the seasonings, taste and adjust them, and pulse once more.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass or ceramic bowl or pitcher and if you've diced and reserved some of the cucumber, stir it in at this point. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight to allow the flavors to further develop.
4. When you're ready to serve the soup, take it from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before you're planning to serve it, taste, and adjust the seasonings. While it sits, if you're garnishing with the cream, whip it to soft peaks. Divide the soup among 4 chilled soup plates, cream soup cups, glass bowls, or even mugs if the meal is very casual. You may garnish each serving with a dollop of the cream and sprinkling of the sliced green onion and dill, or omit the cream and garnish just with the onion and dill, or solely with the green onion.