Recipe: Cold Zucchini-Tahini Soup

Recipe

Cold Zucchini-Tahini Soup

soup

Such a refreshing warm weather soup, pungent with the rich flavor of tahini, laced with lemon and garlic, then finished with tart yogurt and beautiful red onions. Serve this soup well chilled, passing extra yogurt and pita chips on the side.

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
2 pounds zucchini, coarsely chopped (about 4 medium)
1/3 to 1/2 cup tahini paste
4 to 6 cloves garlic
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
yogurt (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/4 red onion, chopped

Preparation

Heat the chicken broth until boiling. Add the garlic and the chopped zucchini. Cover and simmer on low 2 to 3 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and has cooked through.

Pour the mixture into a blender (Note: you may need to blend the soup in 2 batches). Add the tahini paste, lemon juice, salt and white pepper. purée until all ingredients are smooth. Pour the mixture into a large serving bowl, then chill thoroughly.

Before serving, correct the seasonings; you may need more tahini, lemon juice or salt to punch up the flavors. Stir into each soup bowl (or into the main serving bowl of soup) a generous dollop or 2 of yogurt per person. Serve topped with the chopped red onions, passing more yogurt at table.