Yellow Squash Soup with Cured Strawberries

Serving size:8
Yellow Squash Soup with Cured Strawberries

A refreshing soup can taste like summer in a bowl. This is a delicious start to a light meal or a smart accompaniment to a toasted sandwich. Make this when yellow squash is in season—it’s at its best in summer. It’s the same with the strawberries. The curing process here both intensifies the flavor of the strawberries and cuts the tartness. It gives the berries an almost meaty texture. Pair this with a classic French Sancerre.

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  • 1 lb fresh strawberry, washed and hulled
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Directions

  1. To make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the yellow squash and thyme and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the squash is soft all the way through. Take off the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
  2. Transfer the soup to a blender, add the sour cream and salt, and puree on high until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Check the consistency: If the soup is a little gritty, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
  3. About 1 hour before serving, make the strawberries: Slice the strawberries into ¼-inch-thick slices and place them in a glass bowl. Sprinkle the salt and sugar over the strawberries and gently toss them with your fingers—making sure not to crush them. Let them cure for an hour at room temperature; no longer, or they will get too soft.
  4. To serve, ladle the chilled soup into bowls. Top each one with a few cured strawberries. Crack some fresh black pepper over the top and serve immediately.

Recipe Credit: Excerpted from Smoke & Pickles by Edward Lee (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2013.