This summer I learned two food related things: Growing up in similar climates meant that both Rich’s and my family have always had zucchini in abundance. Although my family has them always grow a little (well, much) bigger, while Rich’s harvests them more on the smaller side. And, second, Rich isn’t that fond of zucchini because he had to eat them every summer and fall. Obviously, I have made a point of proving to him how great zucchini are and how diversely we can use them. I am thinking gratins, stir-fries, soups, salads, bread, cakes …
My most recent creation is this zucchini soup that I amped up with fresh basil and fried apricots. Guess what: Rich loved it. The soup is creamy. It has a great mix of savory zuchini with a slight pungence of basil and red paprika powder. And then the apricots add a little sweetness. A perfect summer dinner.
To be honest, I believe that my husband will like zucchini much more once he realizes how versatile they are. And who knows, maybe next summer we can already bring several home from Maine.
By the way, the soup is also great when you don’t have apricots at home. Or when you have only green zucchini. Or only yellow ones …
Zucchini Soup with Fried Apricots
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves diced
- 4 small green zucchinis sliced (ca. 500 g)
- 1 medium yellow zucchini sliced (ca. 500 g)
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp red paprika powder
- salt white pepper
- 3 twigs fresh basil
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 4 apricots stoned and cut in quarters
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a big pot.
- Add the onion and garlic cloves and sauté.
- Put in the green and yellow zucchinis. Also sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, the bay leaves, 1 tbsp red paprika powder and 2 twigs of the fresh basil.
- Bring to boil and let simmer for about 30 minutes. The zucchinis should easily disintegrate.
- Add the heavy cream.
- Purée the soup with an immersion blender.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- In a little frying pan heat another 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add the apricots and fry them carefully.
- Season with salt, pepper and the leaves of the last twig of basil.
- In a little bowl mix the last 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 tbsp of red paprika powder.
- When serving the soup, put about a quarter of the fried apricots in the middle of a bowl. Sprinkle with the red paprika powder olive oil mix.
This recipe is part of Ina‘s project “Saisonal is(s)t besser” (Seasonal eats better).
© janavar
