Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup

While my future husband was happily scarfing fry bread tacos in Colorado, I was sweating my 7th grade Home Economics class further north in Canada. To set the scene of my distress, it was the last month of the class and I had just managed to fail my sewing test; a wobbly threaded testament to my poor hand-eye coordination and impatience. My home budgeting project took a financial downturn when my teacher noted that my incorrect math had rendered my fictitious future self seriously overdrawn and facing financial ruin. Next up was the nutrition segment of the class. And it was cook or die. Knowing I had some serious ground to make up, I marshaled my resources and consulted with my Mother. With her menu guidance, I plotted a path to home ec redemption with a meal I hoped would awe my teacher and pass the class. Since my cooking expertise to that point had been largely limited to toast, it was a painful two-day introduction to cooking resulting in an jumbled menu of chilled cucumber soup, shepherd's pie, and dark chocolate mousse.  I don't remember the meal being particularly yummy to my picky teenage palate, but the chilled cucumber soup had my teacher in raptures and won my respite from the shame of failing home ec.  

Chilled cucumber avocado soup is my grown up rendition of that home ec redemption soup. In this summery soup, the avocado and yogurt provide a silky texture to highlight the light vegetal qualities of cucumber.  This soup is a refreshing dish and can be ready in a flash for a starter or a light meal on its own.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

   Soup:

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed
• 5 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded (see note)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh jalapeno, seeds and veins removed
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

   Garnish:

• 1/2 cup finely minced cucumber, unpeeled with seeds removed
• 4 stalks green or purple onions, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt

Steps:

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the soup ingredients (avocados, cucumbers, garlic, lime, salt, jalapeno, yogurt).  You are looking for a smooth creamy texture. Note that the cucumbers will release more liquid as the soup sits, so it should be relatively thick consistency immediately after blending.
2. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. 
3. To serving, garnish with dollops of yogurt, diced cucumber, and green/purple onions. In warm weather, we like to accentuate and prolong the chilled temperature of this soup by briefly chilling the bowls in the freezer prior to serving.  

Note:  The easiest way to seed a cucumber is to cut it in half lengthwise, and use a small spoon to scrape down the center of each half to remove the seeds and pulp.