Chilled Cucumber Soup:
What's Coookin'

Aired on Superstation WGN
Saturday, July 23 and November 12, 2005
Show 219

Alex joins chef Scott Crawford whose style is "Modern American" at Woodlands Resort and Inn in Summerville, S.C. where Scott prepares cucumbers for a refreshing low-calorie, hot-weather soup – one cup of cucumbers has only 14 calories. Cucumbers contain caffeic acid, which sooths skin irritations, redness and swelling. And the thick cucumber skin is rich in fiber and contains silica, potassium and magnesium. Scott blends sliced and peeled cucumbers with celery and scallions and adds rice wine vinegar for a little tang. He uses a ring mold to position blanched tomato tartare in the center of a bowl and circles it with the chilled cucumber soup. An excellent source of vitamins C and A, tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant which helps prevent cancer. A garnish of celery leaves, lime radish and a few drops of virgin olive oil complete this delightful soup.  

Chilled English cucumber soup with heirloom tomato tartare and shaved radish
(Serves 4)

Ingedients:

4 English cucumbers, peeled and diced
2 heirloom tomatoes (or your favorite variety)
1 celery stalk, white part from middle of bunch diced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 scallion (white part only)
1 lime radish or red radish (small)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon rice vinegar with yuzu juice
¼ cup water
Salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

Tomato tartare:
Using a paring knife, score the bottoms of tomatoes. Blanch tomatoes for 10 seconds in boiling water. Remove skins and cut into quarter-inch thick slices. Remove seeds by slicing horizontally along flesh of tomato leaving only petals. Save trimmings from tomatoes. Cut petals into quarter-inch dice. Season with 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and white pepper. Set aside.

Cucumber soup:
In a blender, puree cucumbers, celery, scallion, tomato trimmings, remaining olive oil, rice vinegar and lemon zest with water. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Pour puree into a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth and allow to strain for about one hour or until liquid has completely drained out and is clear. Chill for several hours. Mold the tomato tartare in the center of a chilled bowl, ladle ice-cold cucumber soup into the bowl. Shave radish paper thin, season with salt and float in soup.