Cucumber Soup

Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns uses the farm's cucumber crop to prepare this gorgeous, fresh-tasting soup. The addition of avocado lends the soup a creamy touch. It's a terrific way to start a summertime dinner party.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 11  large cucumbers (about 8 pounds), divided
• 1/4  cup  honey, divided
• 1/4  cup  rice wine vinegar
• 1  ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh dill
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Cracked black pepper (optional)
• Dill sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Cut 5 cucumbers into 3-inch chunks. Place half of cucumber chunks and 2 tablespoons honey in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed cucumber mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Repeat procedure with the remaining chunks. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Peel, seed, and thinly slice remaining 6 cucumbers; place slices in a bowl. Add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons honey; toss well to coat. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Working with pureed cucumber mixture in sieve, press mixture lightly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to squeeze out juice; discard solids.

Place half of marinated cucumber slices, avocado, and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour cucumber mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining cucumber slices and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice; reserve any remaining juice for another use. Stir in chopped dill, salt, and pepper. Place 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls. Garnish with cracked black pepper and dill sprigs, if desired.

Wine note: Green, vegetal flavors, like those found in this soup, call for sauvignon blanc's distinctive, herbaceous character. The wine's grassy, citrus qualities bring out the soup's fresh, crisp flavors. A good value from California is Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc ($13.50). -Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information

Calories:

167 (32% from fat)

Fat:

6g (sat 0.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

3.8g

Carbohydrate:

27.3g

Fiber:

5.3g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.6mg

Sodium:

312mg

Calcium:

79mg