With a heat wave gripping most of the Eastern United States this week, it’s too hot to cook! Luckily, we’re entering the season of chilled soups and gazpacho. These dishes are essentially vegetable smoothies to eat from a bowl—or even drink from a glass if you prefer! They require no heat to prepare, but pack enough nutrients to fill you up.
First up: chilled cucumber-yogurt soup. In a blender, combine two medium cucumbers, one cup plain yogurt, juice from half a lemon, two minced garlic cloves, a handful of chopped herbs (such as dill and mint), two tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust, adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as you like. You can use any type of plain yogurt for this, though if you use a thicker Greek type, you may need to thin the soup with a splash of milk or water. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, sliced cucumbers, and more herbs, if you like.
Want to use up a lot of veggies? Try green gazpacho. You can make this refreshing soup in a food processor or by roughly chopping all the vegetables. Combine three cucumbers, two zucchini, a handful of shishito or other green peppers, half an onion, two cloves of garlic or three garlic scapes, half a cup of cilantro, two tablespoons of lime juice, one tablespoon of olive oil, and one teaspoon each of salt and cumin. Add black pepper or cayenne to taste. Pulse vegetables in a food processor until uniformly chopped or stir in a large bowl. Refrigerate for several hours before serving to let the flavors combine.
Cucumbers and zucchini are available from many farms, including Ivy Creek Family Farm (Weaverville and North Asheville markets), Olivette Farm (East Asheville and Asheville City markets), Smallholding Farm (East Asheville Tailgate Market), Gaining Ground Farm and Full Sun Farm (both at North Asheville and River Arts District markets), and Thatchmore Farm (North and West Asheville markets). Lee’s One Fortune Farm had a small amount of shishito peppers, but more pepper types will be available in coming weeks. (Note that Lee’s One Fortune Farm will not be at Saturday markets this weekend, but will be back at West Asheville, River Arts District, and East Asheville markets later in the week.)
The very first tomatoes are trickling in at markets, and if you’re able to get your hands on them, a simple tomato-basil soup is another great option. Simply combine a pint or so of tomatoes with a handful of basil in the blender and then drizzle in olive oil until the consistency is creamy (a few tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper. We’ve seem tomatoes from Stump Farms (Asheville City Market), as well as Smallholding Farm, Full Sun Farm, and Olivette Farm. Look for basil from Sleight Family Farm and Tierra Fértil Coop, both at North Asheville Tailgate Market.
Also spotted at markets in recent weeks: raspberries, blueberries, peaches, carrots, fennel, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, radishes, spinach, kale, chard, mushrooms, and much more. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including hours and location, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.