Zucchini Vichyssoise

This recipe is adapted from a Canadian magazine called, “Ricardo“. It’s a nice twist on an old dish. The original vichyssoise recipe calls for straining the cooked vegetables through a sieve but today’s chefs often use a blender. The flavors develop markedly the next day. Zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C.

Serves 8
250ml (1 cup) chopped leeks
30ml (2 tablespoons) butter
250ml (1 cup) peeled and diced potatoes
1.5 litres (6 cups) green zucchini sliced into thick rounds
1.25 litres (5 cups) water
salt and pepper to taste
60ml (1/4 cup) 15% cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin

In a large saucepan over medium heat, soften the leeks in the butter. Add the potatoes, zucchini and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).

In a blender puree the soup until smooth. Add the cream, cumin and adjust the seasoning. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely chilled (about 4 hours). Ladle into soup bowls.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: For added flavor, use chicken stick in lieu of water. Garnish with zucchini blossoms (if available). I like to let the soup stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. I find that if the soup is too cold you don’t get to taste the full flavor (just like white wine that is served too cold).