Cucumber Soup Recipe

Step 1

Cut a 4 inch piece off one of the cucumbers, then halve it lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely chop. Save this unpeeled cucumber for the garnish.

Step 2

Peel the remaining cucumber, seed it, and roughly chop.

Step 3

In a blender, combine the peeled cucumber, yogurt, shallot, dill, mint, lemon juice, 3 teaspoons of olive oil, the salt, and pepper to taste. Blend until completely smooth, slowly moving to the most powerful mode on your blender for the smoothest soup. The soup should be thick and smooth and not need water, but if your cucumbers were particularly small, add a very small of water to help the blender, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Step 4

Transfer the soup to the refrigerator, covered (in the blender cup is fine) and chill for 4 hours, or up to overnight (but no longer than 24 hours or it will become bitter).

Step 5

When ready to serve, stir the soup, check the seasoning, and add more salt and/or pepper if necessary.

Step 6

In a small bowl, combine the reserved cucumber, the toasted walnuts, the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt and toss to combine.

Step 7

Pour the soup into bowls, divide the garnish between them, gently spooning it on so it doesn't sink to the bottom, and serve topped with more fresh dill.