PURéED ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH CURRY

Puréed Zucchini Soup With Curry image

Just the right amount of basmati rice contributes just the right amount of substance to this beautiful, light spring soup.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories soups and stews, appetizer, side dish

Time 50m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds zucchini, diced (about 7 cups diced)
2 teaspoons curry powder
6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup basmati rice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (I like a lot of it in this soup)
Pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 small zucchini, sliced paper-thin, tossed with salt and, if desired, lemon juice, and marinated for 15 minutes or longer
Garlic croutons (optional)

Steps:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the zucchini and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. Add the curry powder, stir together, and add the stock or water, the rice and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
Purée the soup with an immersion blender or a food mill or in batches in a blender, taking care to remove the lid or take out the center insert and to cover with a towel to avoid hot splashes. Return to the pot, heat through, add pepper and cayenne to taste and stir in the lemon juice. Serve, garnishing each bowl with paper-thin slices of zucchini, chopped chives and croutons if desired.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 175, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 6 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 999 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams