ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH CHEESE
Seasonal Spanish Food
by Jose Pizarro
This is a soup my mother is fond of making when there's a glut of medium-size, still-flavorful zucchini. She likes to use Dairylea cheese to make the soup creamy, because the local goat and sheep cheeses have too strong a taste. I like to use cream cheese.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
· 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
· 1 garlic clove, chopped
· 1 shallot, chopped
· 3 medium zucchini, coarsely cubed
· salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 1 quart chicken stock
· 7 oz cream cheese
· shaved Zamorano or Parmesan cheese
· 3 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and soften the garlic and shallot until they are translucent in color. Add the cubed zucchini, season with a pinch of salt, and continue to cook the mixture for about 5 minutes.
Add the stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until the zucchini is completely cooked. Now add the cream cheese and use a hand blender to puree the soup—you want it thick and creamy.
Adjust the seasoning.
Divide the soup between four warmed bowls, then scatter the cheese and parsley over, drizzle a little olive oil over each, and serve immediately.
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