Chilled Cucumber Soup with Arugula Pesto
This cool, pale-green soup complements grilled dishes. Make it and the accompanying pesto earlier on the day of the meal or even a night ahead. As this recipe proves, pesto, a classic paste of basic ingredients, can contain many different greens besides the traditional basil. If you are not using the pesto within about 1 hour, cover it with plastic wrap laid directly onto the pesto to maintain its vivid green color, and refrigerate the pesto until it is needed.
Ingredients
Pesto
* 2 cups lightly packed arugula leaves
* 1 clove garlic
* 1/2 cup (2 1/4-oz. pkg.) sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
* Salt to taste
Soup
* 2 12- to 14-oz. cucumbers, preferably English or European, peeled and seeded
* 2 scallions, with green tops, cut into chunks
* 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
* Pinch white pepper
* Salt to taste
Directions
1. To make Pesto: Put arugula and garlic in a food processor, and process. Add almonds and Parmesan cheese, and process again. With motor running, pour in oil, and process until a thick paste forms. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
2. To make Soup: Put cucumbers, scallions and buttermilk in a food processor or blender, and pur8Ee. Season with pepper and salt. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or longer if possible.
3. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon pesto into each bowl, and serve soup. Offer any remaining pesto in a bowl on side.
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