Cool inspiration - Chilled soups soothe the summer soul

NEW YORK -- There's something about soup.

It captured the imagination of several Beat poets, who often used soup imagery. Jack Kerouac evokes nectar soup in his meditation on "Buddahood" in "Mexico City Blues," and Allen Ginsberg describes the "angelheaded hipsters" who ".... lounged hungry and lonesome through Houston seeking jazz or sex or soup" in "Howl."

Some paeans to soup are more forthright, such as that of food luminary M.F.K. Fisher: "It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without soup or bread in it."

If chicken soup can soothe you in the winter months, it seems a chilled soup can calm the most feverish August day.

Gazpacho, a summer staple that originated in the Andalusia region of Spain, is a vibrant mix of tomatoes and peppers that packs a vitamin C-rich wallop in tackling a nasty summer cold.

Although gazpacho is a summer favorite, fruit soups are the true symbol of the season.

Fruit soups should be made with more sugar than seems necessary, since cold tends to dull flavor. The same goes for vegetable soups -- they will need a little more salt than a soup that is served hot.

Tomato Gazpacho

4 ripe heirloom tomatoes

2 shallots

1 red bell pepper

1 stalk celery

1 clove garlic

1 can (6 ounces) tomato juice

1/2 seedless cucumber

1 sprig fresh basil

4 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon coriander

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 dashes hot pepper sauce

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Roughly chop all of the vegetables and herbs. Using a blender, puree all of the vegetables, herbs, coriander and tomato juice.

Put the puree in a bowl. Using a whisk, slowly add the olive oil, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Refrigerate and let sit overnight before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

(Recipe from chef Douglas Dodd of the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles.)

Creamy Grape Soup

2 cups seedless grapes

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped squash such as Hubbard, acorn or pumpkin

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fat-free chicken broth

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and pepper

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup heavy cream (half-and-half or milk may be substituted)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley or basil

Combine grapes, carrots, squash, onion, broth, water, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper in medium saucepan. Bring mixture to boil and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables and grapes are very tender. Drain vegetables and grapes, reserving liquid. Purée vegetables and grapes in food processor or blender.

If necessary, add 1/2 cup reserved liquid to get a smooth mixture.

Return puréed mixture and reserved liquid to saucepan; add sherry. Bring mixture to boil. Add cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; heat thoroughly. Serve hot or cold. Sprinkle parsley or basil on top before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

(Recipe from the California Table Grape Commission.)

Cold Coconut Soup

1 quart milk

2 cups fresh coconut, finely shredded

2 cups fresh coconut water

2 cups canned coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

Salt to taste

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Ground cinnamon to taste

Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cool a little and stir in coconut. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend in a blender or food processor. Add coconut water and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt. Add cream, beating occasionally with a whisk.

Cook for 25 minutes or until soup thickens slightly. If soup is too thick, add a little more cream. Cool soup on a bed of crushed ice and refrigerate.

To serve, pour chilled soup into hollowed-out coconut shells. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Makes 8 servings.

(Recipe from chef Patricia Quintana of El Tamarindo resort in Cihuatlan, Mexico.)

Cold Avocado Soup, Atlixto Style

5 quarts water

4 chicken legs with thighs

6 chicken wings

1 white onion, sliced

1 head garlic, cloves unpeeled and halved

3 carrots

6 stalks celery

2 bay leaves

6 mint leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint

6 black peppercorns

Salt to taste

1/2 cup butter

1 white onion, pureed

2 cloves garlic, pureed

1/2 leek, pureed

1 carrot, pureed

6 ripe California avocados, peeled

1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

1 cup plain yogurt, beaten

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped, as garnish

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, as garnish

Prepare the broth: Bring the water to a boil in a stock pot. Add chicken, onion, garlic, whole carrots, celery, bay leaves, mint, peppercorns and salt. Simmer over low heat until mixture foams. Skim and simmer for 1/2 hour. Cool for 1 hour and strain, skim off fat and refrigerate. If broth separates, reheat slightly.

Prepare the soup: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion, garlic, leek and carrot with 3 cups broth. Cook until thick, about 25 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, blend avocados with 6 cups broth. (Blend in batches, if necessary.) Strain. Add creme fraiche and yogurt. Stir in vegetable mixture, and add salt to taste. Add lime juice and olive oil. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth. Chill in freezer for 1 hour.

To serve, pour cold avocado soup into soup bowls fitted in liners filled with crushed ice. Garnish with onion and cilantro.

Makes 8 servings.

(Recipe from chef Patricia Quintana of El Careyes resort in Costa Careyes, Mexico.)

Summertime Celery Soup

2/3 cup boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 cups coarsely chopped celery

8 green onions including tops, sliced

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 quart chicken stock, divided

2 1/2 tablespoons uncooked rice

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried chives

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Finely chopped chives, as garnish

Fat-free plain yogurt, as garnish

Pour boiling water over fennel seeds in small bowl; reserve.

Saute celery, onions and garlic in oil in large saucepan until onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, rice and chives; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until celery and rice are tender, about 20 minutes.

Process soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken stock.

Drain fennel seeds, stirring liquid into soup; discard seeds. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with chives and yogurt.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

(Recipe from "1,001 Low-Fat Soups & Stews," Surrey Books, 2000, $19.95 paperback.)

Chilled Cauliflower Soup

Vegetable cooking spray

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 3/4 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup diced, peeled potato

2 cups chopped cauliflower

1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed

3/4 cup 2 percent reduced-fat milk

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Chopped chives, as garnish

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in chicken stock, potato, cauliflower and dill weed; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes and cauliflower are tender, about 10 minutes.

Process mixture in blender or food processor until smooth; transfer soup to serving bowl. Stir in milk and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with chives.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

(Recipe from "1,001 Low-Fat Soups & Stews," Surrey Books, 2000, $19.95 paperback.)

Cantaloupe Soup

2 pounds (3 cups) ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup chilled sparkling apple cider (nonalcoholic)

1/8 teaspoon Madras curry powder

1 lemon

Puree cantaloupe with 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a blender until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cider and curry. Season with salt and additional lemon juice. Serve immediately, at room temperature. Garnish with curry powder and lemon slices.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe from the "Gourmet Every Day" feature in the August issue of Gourmet magazine.)