Summery, quick and tasty cucumber soup – this is my version of Gazpacho Verde. It cannot be easier than this!
Many years ago, we had a European project with Spain, so there were many trips to the Andalusian region. Each meal began with a red tomato soup served cold and incredibly tasty. Occasionally there was a soup made from cucumber, among other things, which I liked very much. So, I asked our Spanish participants for recipes for red tomato soup and cucumber soup. They gave me approximate ingredients – I wrote it down but lost the note! Anyway, I just had to experiment! I love to share the result with all of you!
The original recipe for Gazpacho Verde does not include chives, but I think it is almost a must. The soup tastes better with chives – but please – -do not overdo it with the herbs – they can easily take over the flavor!
Most importantly, the soup must rest for a while for all the ingredients to become friends! And it has to be ice cold when you serve it.
I hope to inspire you to make this soup; feel free to season it to your needs. For example, if you do not have chives, you can use parsley instead. If you do not have vinegar, you can use lemon juice instead. Yes – you can take what you have at home.
You can strain the soup if you want a “smoother” texture. – I like a little texture, so I skip straining the soup.
Nowadays, you will find small cucumbers (Persian cucumbers) that are incredibly tasty – use them if you come across these beautiful cucumbers; otherwise, you can use regular cucumbers that are available in all grocery stores. But, but – remove the skin and the kernels! The kernels can give a bitter taste otherwise.
If you want a slightly thicker texture, you can mix a bit of Turkish or Greek yogurt in the soup. Sometimes I mix in a bit of horseradish which gives a little heat. You can also season the soup with a drop of Tabasco or 0.5 teaspoons of sambal oelek. Feel free to add your stamp to the soup!
Ingredients for 3 servings
| 1 large cucumber (or 4 small) | 2.5 dl water |
| 1 green apple type Granny Smith | 2 teaspoons sea salt (take less if using regular salt) |
| 1 green pepper | 1 dl mint leaf |
| 1 large or 2 smaller garlic cloves | 1 dl chive |
| 0.5 yellow onion | Garnish |
| 0.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice) | Mint leaves |
| 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil (good quality) | Apple or cucumber |
As usual, it is mise en place that applies, which means that you wash, peel and measures everything ready before you start cooking.
Method:
- Wash the peppers – remove the seeds and the membrane – if you neglect it,
- the soup will taste bitter. Cut the peppers into slightly smaller pieces.
- Peel the onion and cut it into smaller pieces.
- Peel the apple and cut it into smaller pieces (remove the seeds). Pour over water that covers the apple pieces so that it does not get dark while you do everything else.
- Peel the garlic.
- Measure out salt, lemon juice or (apple cider vinegar), mint, chives, and other ingredients.
- Put all the ingredients except the water in a blender and run it for 2-3 minutes or until you get a smooth mass. Then, pour on the water and run the mixer for a few more minutes.
- Taste and correct the seasoning to suit you.
- Pour it into a jug, cover, and then cool it for a few hours.
Make small cubes of apple and-/or cucumber, and decorate with mint leaves. Serve either in a glass or bowl.
Note: Persian cucumber is about 10 – 15 cm long – smaller than regular cucumber. Smooth outer, thin skin and has significantly fewer seeds than the common cucumber that you can buy in most grocery stores. The Persian cucumber contains less water and is “crispier” than regular cucumber. You can nowadays buy it all year round in Sweden at least.
