Summery Chilled Cucumber Soup with Gold Pearl Trout RoE

We are at the point of summer where I am in denial about how fast if feels the season is ending and am desperately wishing for it to be late June all over again. I’m ignoring all the Back to School hype and instead am indulging my kids with ice cream everyday, bittersweetly admiring my tan (don’t go!), and googling all the recipes for all the seasonal veggies. It’s been super hot the last few days, so I’ve paid particular attention to any meal prep that doesn’t involve the oven or even the stove top. AC can only do so much when you’re standing in front of a hot stove sporting that sweaty sparkle.

My family was recently brunching at one of my favorite places, Blooming Hill Farm in Monroe, NY. I picked up some cucumbers from their farm stand on our way out and immediately started daydreaming about a cold cucumber soup to make with them. Luckily I had some Tsar Nicoulai Gold Pearl Trout Roe in my fridge already that I knew would make the perfect garnish - both for color and for a boost of flavor.

The bright, fresh, and flavorful ingredients in this recipe (from Love and Lemons) comes together super fast in a blender. It does require some chill time (at least four hours) so there is a little pre-planning involved. Of course no one will stop you from eating it right away, but it is much more refreshing when it has had time to get really cold. Soup that sits for a bit always tastes better anyway! Jeanine recommends Persian cucumbers, but I was determined to use the beautiful cucumbers I picked up straight from the farm. I used 12 ounces of cucumbers since the package of Persian cucumbers I normally buy is 12 ounces and there are usually six in there (the amount called for in the recipe). These cucumbers worked wonderfully in the recipe as I am sure any cucumbers from a farm stand or from your own garden would as well.

I broiled some very very thinly sliced baguette until perfectly toasted to float the trout roe and cucumber garnish. The bread made the perfect little boat for the roe (pun intended) on top of the soup. Extra toasts were served on the side with more roe and crème fraîche. I made up a tray to enjoy al fresco as I’ve been living lake side and pool side all summer. It was the perfect way to enjoy this delicious and refreshing treat. Of course an ice cold drink is obligatory - I went with some canned Lover Boy hard tea this time. Isn’t life grand?

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Olga

Cold cucumber soup with trout roe garnish

Adapted from Love and Lemons. Serves 8.

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces farm or garden fresh cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced, reserve a few slices for garnish

1½ cups plain whole milk Greek yogurt

¾ cup fresh basil

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh dill

1 garlic clove

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon honey

Freshly ground black pepper

2oz jar Tsar Nicoulai Gold Pearl Trout Roe

8 pieces thinly sliced baguette, drizzled with olive oil and broiled until toasted; plus extra for serving

Crème fraîche

Sprigs of dill for garnish

METHOD

1. In a blender, combine the cucumbers, yogurt, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt, honey, and several grinds of pepper and blend until smooth. Chill for at least 4 hours.

2. Serve in bowls and garnish with toasted baguette slice topped with reserved cucumber slices, trout roe and dill. Serve extra trout roe, crème fraîche and toasts on the side.