Hot and Cold Soups

For many people the idea of a cold soup seems almost verging on the bizarre. Soups are meant to be hot... With possibly the exception of Gazpacho, the only cold soup that many people know about.

Yet, around the Mediterranean cold soups are commonplace and even in Britain cold soups were commonly served in the 1910s and 1920s. Indeed, there's nothing as refreshing as a chilled lemon soup or an iced tomato and basil soup, especially on a hot summer's day.

Soup's aren't just meant to be 'winter warmers' served on a chilly day. A cold or chilled soup can be extremely pleasant on a hot summer's day, especially if you're outside in the sunshine. So why not try a chilled soup yourself this summer?

Here a classic hot soup and a chilled soup you may not have heard of or encountered before are presented for your gastronomic delight and edification.

Green Tomato and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:
400g cooked dried (or canned) chickpeas
4 green tomatoes
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
3cm piece ginger, finely shredded
2 medium hot green chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seed
handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
30g butter
400ml fish or vegetable stock
juice of one lemon
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp polenta

Method:
Melt the butter in a heavy pan and add the onions. Sautée slowly until soft and golden then add the garlic, ginger, chillies and cumin. Allow the cumin a chance to toast (about 3 minutes) then add the chickpeas and the stock. Season the mixture, bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for twenty minutes. Allow to cool a little and transfer to a blender before blitzing to a rough paste (do not make too smooth). Return to the pan, add the lemon juice, mint and coriander leaves, and bring to a very low simmer.

Meanwhile dip the sliced tomatoes in the egg wash and then the polenta. Fry them gently in olive oil and drain on kitchen paper. Ladle the soup into bowls, add the fried tomatoes on top and serve.


Chilled Carrot Soup

Ingredients:
4 carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 celery stick, with leaves, sliced
360ml chicken stock
1 tsp salt
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
180ml single cream or sour cream and basil or mint, to garnish

Method:

Add the carrots, onion and celery to a saucepan along with 120ml of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer, cooking for 15 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool then transfer to a blender. Season with salt and cayenne pepper then blend until smooth. Add the remainder of the stock and blend to mix thoroughly. Finally add the cream and blitz to mix. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge to chill completely. Serve garnished with sour cream and fresh basil or mint leaves.



I hope you enjoyed these recipes and that they will tempt you to try your own home-made chilled soup this summer.

About the Author

Dyfed Lloyd Evans runs and authors most of the recipes for the Celtnet Recipes Collection. Here you can find hundreds more Soup and Broth Recipes (both hot and cold) as well as more Classic and Traditional British Recipes.