ZUCCHINI SOUP

This summer every time I went to a farm stand the zucchini looked so great I found myself looking for new ways to cook with them.  I saw in a Food and Wine magazine this soup and tried it.  I then seemed to throw out the magazine so here is my version as much as I can remember.  I served it for dinner guests and they went nuts for it.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2  leeks, cut in ½ and sliced (wash thoroughly)

1 poblamo pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced

6 zucchini, sliced

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (finely grated)

2 tablespoons crème fraiche * plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped finely for garnish

*crème fraiche is so easy to make – mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup heavy cream.  Stir until smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit out on counter for an hour.  Then put in refrigerator until ready to use. 

Heat oil in a large soup pot.

Add leeks - sauté on medium heat until soft approximately 3 minutes.

Add poblamo pepper and garlic -  sauté until soft approximately 1 minute.

Add zucchini and broth – raise heat and bring to a boil approximately 5 minutes.

Reduce heat - simmer uncovered until zucchini are soft approximately 10 minutes.

Turn off heat and let soup cool a bit.

Transfer to a cuisinart or blender in batches and blend until very smooth.

Return soup to another pot add cheese (optional), salt and pepper to taste and crème fraiche.

Serve hot or room temperature.  Set out bowls of crème fraiche and chopped cilantro so guests can add to their own bowls.