Cool Soups for Hot Days
Cool and refreshing, sometimes creamy and even hearty, cold soups are quick and easy to prepare. From gazpacho to cantaloupe, the opportunities for using fresh local produce are endless according to D...
Forget those so-called red new potatoes from the grocery store. Real new potatoes aren’t a variety but simply any newly dug potato. As summer is their season, it stands to reason that August is just as good a time for potato soups as February, but with a lighter touch employed. Made with scallions, this quickly assembled soup has a pale green hue and is finished with a little salad of chopped tomatoes and slivered basil. Orange Sun Golds, yellow pear, and green zebra make a particularly striking garnish. The soup can be served hot or tepid.
Ingredients
The Soup
- 2 big bunches green onions (scallions or table onions), including the firm greens
- 1 pound new potatoes, a single variety or a mixture of varieties, scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
The Tomato Salad
- ¾ to 1 cup halved or diced fresh tomatoes, such as small cherry or pear types
- Several opal or Italian basil leaves, finely slivered
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Slice the scallions about ¼ inch thick. Dice the potatoes into small irregular cubes. You should have about 2 cups.
Cooking
Heat the butter and oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, give them a turn, and cook for a minute. Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When you get a whiff that says “home fries,” add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot to give the soup a little more substance. Taste for salt and season with pepper.
Toss the tomatoes with the basil, shallot, and oil. Season with a pinch of sea salt or to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon some of the tomatoes and their juices into each portion, then serve.
About this recipe
Editor’s Note: Local I’itoi onions are a wonderful substitute for the green onions.
*Reprinted with permission from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen, 2006 Broadway Books, NewYork, NY.
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