zucchini, basil and lemon soup
Zucchini’s are in abundance at this time of the year. And if you are growing them, you might already be wondering what else you can make with them apart from zucchini bread! This is a refreshing way to eat them and a little unexpected. I made this today for some friends and family while on vacation in Maine. It was such a delight to use home-grown zucchini’s, basil and garlic. What a treat! We ate this soup chilled with a dollop of yoghurt. The taste of this soup will be driven by the size and taste of your zucchini’s. Don’t be afraid to add more herbs and garlic to your soup if needed. I made the soup, then let it cool before adjusting the herbs and salt and pepper. I increased the amount of basil, added the juice from half a lemon as well as a little champagne vinegar (I felt like it needed a little more bite) and plenty of salt and pepper.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 medium zucchini, peeled and chopped into cubes
3 cups chicken broth
Zest of 1 lemon *
1/2 cup loosely packed basil*
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Additional Seasonings, Optional and to Taste
Salt and pepper
Basil leaves, chopped
Lemon wedges
Parmesan cheese, grated
Sour cream, dollop
Yogurt, dollop
CREATING THE MAGIC!
Melt the butter in a medium-sized stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add garlic and saute for another minute or two, stirring frequently.
Add zucchini and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chicken broth and lemon zest, bring to a boil and quickly reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer until zucchini are tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Add basil and stir in.
Puree well with an immersion blender. Alternatively, transfer small batches to a blender, blend well and return to stock pot.
Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve hot or chilled in individual bowls and add any additional seasonings, to taste.
*I added additional basil. I also added some lemon juice with the lemon zest.