Soups for Spring

Believe it or not, soup is one of my favorite Springtime dishes. I know, I know. "Soup?" you say. "In 75 degree weather? Soup is a winter dish. Soup is for cold rainy days or two feet of snow. Soup is not for Spring! You have finally gone off your rocker completely, haven't you. Soup in Springtime..."

Trust me, nay saying reader. Soup is perfect for spring.

Now, in a way, you have a point. The big hearty soups - your potato soups and wall street stews and clam chowders - really are better suited for the cold winter months. But, there is an entire world of lighter, brighter soups, even cold soups, that are easy, don't require a lot of time, and are absolutely delicious.

The two standard bearers of the Cold Soup brigade are vichyssoise, which is basically a cold potato leek soup, and gazpacho, a traditional Andalucian dish of pureed tomatoes, fresh vegetables, garlic and chiles. Both are delicious and really introduced the concept of the cold soup to the world. However, these are just a starting point. In my opinion, the greatest thing about summer soups and cold soups is the unusual combinations of flavors that you find. My two favorites at the moment are strawberry rhubarb soup and cucumber-avocado soup. Both are so refreshing and incorporate my favorite things about spring: fresh produce and bright, exciting flavor. Potatoes and squash are great, don't get me wrong, but they simply cannot compare to tomatoes and avocados and strawberries. God I love Spring.

Since I am finished with my effusive praise of the season (for now), we get down to business. Hardware is very important when it comes to cold soups. Beyond your usual saucepans and ladles, you need two things: either a food processor or one of those heavy duty ice demolishing blenders and a fine mesh sieve. A lot of cold soups are smooth; something that is hard to achieve without a food processor and a sieve.

Now, I know what you're saying. "Cold soup? That is definitely not my thing." Fear not! You can still enjoy the wonderful world of Spring soups, hot or cold. The key?

Lime. ALL things in life are improved by the presence of lime, and really, what says warm weather and bare feet more than the deliciously succulent tang of fresh lime? As long as you keep with the theme of fresh, bright ingredients, there's absolutely no reason why you can't have soup, and enjoy it, year round.

Because I have been a bit of a slacker with the posts, today you get two recipes: one hot soup, and one cold soup. The hot soup is a personal favorite, a Thai Chicken soup. It has coconut milk, lime, and cilantro and is perfect for the cooler, rainier days of April. The cold soup is Strawberry-Rhubarb soup. It is delicious and divine on a warm Sunday picnic. Make one, make both, and make sure to take advantage of the joy that is good soup!

Strawberry Rhubarb Soup

1 pint strawberries, washed and hulled
1 pound rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar or splenda, or to taste
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese for garnish
3 tbs mint, for garnish

Place the strawberries, rhubarb, and orange juice in a large pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until it dissolves. Taste the mixture and add more sugar if desired.
When the mixture has cooled, puree in a food processor. Pass the puree through a fine mesh sieve. This is very important, because the soup looks a little bit like insides if you don't.

Refridgerate for 4-6 hours. Serve with mascarpone and mint.

Thai Chicken Soup

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
4 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Cut chicken into thin strips and saute in oil for to 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken turns white.

In a pot, bring coconut milk and chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat. Add ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne powder and turmeric. Simmer until the chicken is done, 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with scallions and fresh cilantro and serve steaming hot.

Enjoy!