Sublime Summer Soups

A Cupful of Summer

On a muggy day there is nothing more refreshing than cold soup, a chilled bowl of seasonal ambrosia. Luscious to the tongue (and lovely to the eye), they are easy to whip up at home and honest-to-God good for you, too. We asked some of our favorite chefs to share recipes for their most sumptuous and sublime summer soups.

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A TRIO OF TASTES

Three Summer Soups

Courtesy Zuppa,Yonkers

(914) 376-6500; www.zupparestaurant.com

“Zuppa” means soup in Italian, so it’s no wonder that Chef David DiBari offers a Crayola-hued trio: asparagus with crÃ¨me fraiche and truffle oil, yellow tomato gazpacho topped with poached shrimp, and chilled carrot, finished with orange-flavored whipped cream. You can serve the soups together in three shot glasses.

SOUP WITH A LATIN BEAT

Peach & Mango Gazpacho

with Shrimp Salsita

Courtesy Sonora, Port Chester

(914) 933-0200; www.sonorany.com

Sonora Chef Rafael Palomino’s riffs on this Andalusian classic are an absolute pleasure. Make it at home or, if you’re dining in Sonora on a weekend night, order the soup when it is presented in a half coconut on dry ice (close your eyes and you’re in Puerto Vallartaâ€¦not Puerto Chester).

For recipes, turn to page 59.

HOMAGE TO A CLASSIC

Sorrel Vichyssoise

Courtesy Iron Horse Grill, Pleasantville, (914) 741-0717; www.ironhorsegrill.com

With a ring of smoked salmon tartar, a sprinkle of bright green chives and a dab of salmon caviar, chef and owner Philip McGrath describes this dish as an homage to Jean and Pierre Troisgros, two of the forefathers of nouvelle cuisine, whose signature entrÃ©e is reflected in this cold soup.

BLUE HILL’S GREENS

Green Garden Gazpacho

Courtesy Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, (914) 366-9600; www.bluehillstonebarns.com

Chef and co-owner Dan Barber describes this taste of summer in a shot glass as “everything green that comes off the farmâ€¦. whatever is just picked and at the height of its flavor.” But you don’t have to have a farm to enjoy it. Just use fresh, local greens.

For recipes, turn to page 59.

THE EXOTIC

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

Perfumed with Far-East Spices

Courtesy Ladle of Love, Mount Kisco

(914) 242-9661; www.ladleoflove.com

After spending many evenings tinkering with exotic seasonings, Ladle of Love’s chef and owner Leslie Lampert pairs cantaloupe with exotic spices that span the Eastern world. The soup is light, creamy, and refreshing—a wonderful tribute to the season.

THE ESOTERIC

Ruby Rhubarb with Lemon GÃ¢teau

Courtesy Chiboust Bistro + Bakery Tarrytown

(914) 703-6550; www.chiboust.com

Brilliant ruby red color, sweet yet tangy, this spoonable rhubarb soup can be served without any accompaniment whatsoever or with a small square of lemon cake. Or if you’d rather not bother, try a dollop of crÃ¨me fraÃ®che, or perhaps a quenelle of ice cream or sorbet.

Recipes:

A Trio of Soups

Zuppa

Yonkers

[Each recipe yields 32 ounces, Serves 4 or more]

can be served in bowls

or shot glasses

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho:

2 garlic cloves

Olive oil, enough to coat the

vegetables

6 yellow tomatoes

1 stalk celery

1 red onion

1 red pepper

1 cucumber

1 pinch red chili

1 splash sherry vinegar

3 basil leaves

1 tsp coriander seeds

Salt to taste

Poached shrimp, if desired

Cover the garlic cloves with olive oil and cook on low heat until the garlic is tender. Roughly chop all the vegetables and combine with red chili, sherry vinegar, basil, coriander seeds, cooked garlic and salt. Let all the vegetables marinate overnight. After the vegetables have marinated, purÃ©e everything in a blender. Serve cold with poached shrimp, if desired.

Chilled Asparagus Soup:

2 bundles asparagus

1 Tbsp butter

1 white onion finely diced

1 clove garlic sliced thin

2 qt vegetable stock

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

5 spinach leaves

1 pinch cayenne pepper

(CrÃ¨me fraÃ®che and truffle oil

for garnish)

Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water until bright green and tender. Immediately shock the asparagus in ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Slice the asparagus very thin and reserve. With the butter, sweat the garlic and onion until translucent. Add the vegetable stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Let the stock simmer for 15 minutes; discard the bay leaf and thyme. Chill stock in refrigerator before using. When the stock is cold, combine in a blender with the sliced asparagus and spinach leaves. PurÃ©e on high until the soup is very smooth. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Serve cold with crÃ¨me fraÃ®che and truffle oil, if desired.

Chilled Carrot Soup:

3 cups fresh carrot juice

2 Tbsp butter

3 carrots sliced thin

1 green cardamom seed

1 onion

1 clove garlic

2 qt vegetable stock

(Orange zest and whipped cream

for garnish)

In a saucepan, reduce the carrot juice by half, taking care to scrape all the orange bits that build up around the sides of the pot back into the juice with a rubber spatula. With the butter, sweat the carrots, onions, garlic, and cardamom seed. Add the vegetable stock and simmer until the carrots and vegetables are tender. PurÃ©e the carrot mixture and the reduced carrot juice in a blender until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve. Serve very cold with orange zest and whipped cream for garnish.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup Perfumed with

Far-East Spices

Ladle of Love

Mount Kisco

[Serves 4]

2 large, very ripe cantaloupes,

peeled, halved, and seeded

1 stalk lemongrass

1 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

10 fennel seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

8 black peppercorns

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

3 1/4-inch slices of peeled ginger

1 sprig basil

Salt and white pepperto taste

3 drops Tabasco sauce

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Cut the melons into chunks and purÃ©e in a food processor and set aside.

Discard the outer part of the lemongrass stalk and with a chef’s knife, bruise the green part of the stalk. Put the star anise, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a sauce pan and toast the spices until highly perfumed, about 4 minutes. Add the cream, lime zest, ginger, basil, and bruised lemongrass stalk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes more.

Strain the seasoned cream mixture into a bowl. When cream base is well-chilled, stir in cantaloupe purÃ©e, Tabasco, and lime juice.

Taste for seasoning, chill, and garnish with diced cantaloupe and cilantro, if desired.

Sorrel Vichyssoise

With a Tartar of Wild Smoked Salmon

Iron Horse Grill

Pleasantville

[Serves six]

For the Vichyssoise:

2 Tbsp butter

4 medium leeks halved, well

washed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 lb Idaho potatoes, peeled

and diced

6 oz heavy cream

6 oz sorrel, leaves only, rinsed

and dried (about two cups

tightly packed)

Melt the butter in a stockpot over low heat. Add the leeks and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. In a food processor or blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the cream and sorrel and blend again. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and chill well until ready to serve.

For the Tartar:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1 large shallot, peeled and

minced

1 bunch chives, chopped

(leave some whole for garnish)

Cracked pepper to taste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 lb smoked wild king or other

wild salmon, dark part

removed, and roughly chopped

Combine all of the ingredients except for the salmon in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the salmon and toss gently just until all of the ingredients are combined. Chill until ready to serve.

To Serve:

Using a ring mold or ice cream scoop, mold one sixth of the tartar mixture into each of six chilled soup bowls. Carefully ladle 6 oz of soup around each salmon mold. Garnish with the whole chives and salmon caviar.

Green Garden Gazpacho

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Pocantico Hills

[Serves four to six]

Finely chop the following vegetables. Mix liquids and seasonings, then marinate vegetables and refrigerate for 24 hours.

1/2 lb zucchini

1/2 lb cucumber

1 whole green pepper

2 stalks celery

1/2 spring onion

1 jalapeÃ±o pepper, seeded

1/2 bunch parsley

2 garlic cloves

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

A few dashes Tabasco

In a blender, process the following ingredients until smooth.

1/2 lb zucchini

1/2 lb cucumber

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 lb roasted tomatillos

2 avocados

Blend together parts 1 and 2. Finish by adding 2 to 3 cups vegetable stock until desired consistency is reached. Season, chill, and serve.

Mango and Peach Gazpacho

Sonora

Port Chester

[Serves 4]

1 ripe mango, finely diced

2 cups mango nectar

1 unpeeled peach, finely diced

1 cup Chardonnay wine

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp rice vinegar

10 fresh mint leaves, cut into fine shreds

Kosher salt to taste

For the garnish:

3 grilled shrimp

1 1/2 cup diced seeded watermelon

1/6 cup tequila anejo (aged at

least one year)

1/2 roasted poblano chile,

peeled, seeded,and diced

1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp rice vinegar

Kosher salt and freshy ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the mango and mango nectar. Add the peach, Chardonnay, lime juice, rice vinegar, and most of the mint leaves. Stir well. Add the salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 hours. For salsa garnish, chop the shrimp and toss with other ingredients.

Ruby Rhubarb Soup

with Lemon GÃ¢teau

Chiboust Bistro + Bakery

Tarrytown

[Serves 10 to 12]

4 lbs ruby rhubarb

(Richter’s variety preferred)

2 lbs sugar

Water to cover

Lemon juice to taste

Rinse rhubarb and remove leaves. Cut into approximately 2-inch pieces. Place sugar and enough water to make wet sand consistency in stainless pot. Bring to a boil and dissolve all sugar until rapid small bubbles form. Add chopped rhubarb and enough water to cover rhubarb and simmer slowly; do not boil. When rhubarb becomes saturated and tender but still retains shape, remove from heat. Let cool and adjust seasoning with lemon juice. Chill; color will deepen as it sits. Next day strain off jus and retaste; season with lemon and sugar if needed.

Serve with ice-cream quenelle for pre-dessert or as a jus/sauce component with a lemon cake and crÃ¨me fraÃ®che.

Lemon GÃ¢teau

Custard base:

4 eggs

2 yolks

1 3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup heavy cream

Juice of 6 medium size lemons, strained

Whisk together eggs, yolks, and sugar until sugar dissolves, blend in remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Cake Base:

2 1/3 cups almond flour

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp cake flour