Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

It's hard to imagine soup other than in a steaming bowl.

But cold soup, once you get used to the idea, can be a refreshing change of pace for a sweltering summer day.

Carla Snyder, who co-wrote "300 Sensational Soups" with Meredith Deeds, said lots of people are familiar with gazpacho, or vichyssoise, which is associated with fancy French cuisine. Beyond that, cold soups are still a bit of a mystery to many, she said.

Cold soups typically showcase fresh vegetables or fruits and are easy to put together, often requiring no cooking. A cold soup is perfect for a light summer meal, but also works well as an appetizer or dessert.

Chef Rodney Hunt, of Robert J. Events & Catering in Akron, Ohio, said he often serves cold soup as an appetizer, presenting it in a shooter glass or cordial glass.

He said a small shot of soup is perfect for the food trend of small plates, and makes a surprising appetizer. "Chilled soup is a little more refreshing," he said.

For parties at home, Snyder said, using shot glasses, perhaps ones that have been collected over the years from traveling, is a fun way to display a collection of vacation memorabilia.

When preparing cold soups, always begin with the freshest produce because it will provide the backbone for the soup. "With summer soups, the quality of the ingredients is really key," Snyder said.

With melon soups, for example, a watery bland melon will produce a soup of the same quality.

Soups can be pureed in a blender or food processor, or with an immersion blender. Snyder said a traditional blender will inject more air into a puree and make for a smoother, more velvety soup.

Cold soups typically require more seasoning than hot soups, because they aren't being heated, which helps to release the flavors of herbs and spices. Snyder said some cold soups are made hot and then chilled. When cooking, they may taste just right, but after chilling, their flavors may not be as intense, so it's always a good idea to taste them cold and adjust salt, pepper and other spices.

Many cold soups call for the addition of heavy cream or sour cream, and Snyder said it's OK to lighten them up with yogurt or a lighter cream. However, taking out fat is another reason to increase the spice and seasoning. "Bump up the flavors a little bit when you cut the fat because you cut back on the soup's ability to carry flavor forward," she said.

Hunt said he likes to add spice to fruit soups for an unexpected flavor twist. He pairs mango with jalapeno and cantaloupe with Tabasco sauce for combinations that are sweet and spicy.

MANGO JALAPENO HURRICANE

4 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Pinch of salt

Cilantro, for garnish

Place mango, lime juice and salt into a food processor or blender and puree.

Stir in peppers. Don't puree the peppers; it will make the soup too hot.

Chill for at least an hour.

Pour into cordial glasses and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.

Makes 20 appetizer-size servings.

- Chef Rodney Hunt, Robert J. Events & Catering

ZESTY CANTALOUPE SHOOTER

1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeds removed, diced

1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce

4-ounces sour cream, for garnish

Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Puree cantaloupe and Tabasco sauce in a blender or food processor. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Serve in shot glasses topped with a dollop of sour cream and a mint sprig.

Makes 20 appetizer-size servings.

- Chef Rodney Hunt

GUACAMOLE SOUP

1 serrano chile pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

2 avocados, halved, seed removed and removed from their skin

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup, diced seeded tomatoes

Crispy tortilla strips (recipe follows)

In a food processor or blender, process chile pepper, garlic and cilantro until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Add avocados, stock, lime juice and salt. Process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary.

Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with tomatoes and tortilla strips.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Vegetable oil 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, halved, then cut crosswise into matchstick-size strips

Salt

In a saucepan, heat 3/4 inch oil over medium heat until it registers 350 degrees on a thermometer. Add tortilla strips in 4 batches and fry until crisp and light golden, 30 to 45 seconds.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove tortilla strips to a plate lined with paper towels. Season to taste with salt. Let cool and use within 3 hours.

Makes about 3 cups, enough to garnish 6 to 8 servings of soup.

- "300 Sensational Soups," Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds

SHRIMP COCKTAIL SOUP WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

For the soup:

8 cups chilled vegetable cocktail, such as V8

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. prepared horseradish

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and halved lengthwise

Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

For the horseradish cream:

1/2 cup whipping cream 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pitcher, combine vegetable juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, celery salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with celery salt, pepper, lemon juice or horseradish, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shrimp and lemon juice. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Drain shrimp and plunge into an ice bath to cool quickly. Drain again and pat dry. The shrimp will have curled into attractive corkscrew shapes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, for up to 3 hours.

Prepare the horseradish cream: In a bowl, beat cream with a whisk or mixer until thick. Fold in horseradish and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, for up to 24 hours.

Pour soup into chilled bowls and garnish with shrimp and horseradish cream. Sprinkle with chives.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

- "300 Sensational Soups"

Tags: Akron Ohio, Appetizer, Change Of Pace, Cold Soup, Cold Soups, Cordial Glass, Flavors, Food Trend, French Cuisine, Gazpacho, Herbs And Spices, Immersion Blender, Refreshing Change, Rodney Hunt, Shot Glasses, Small Plates, Summer Soup, Summer Soups, Sweltering Summer, Vichyssoise