Salad Soup

A no-cook cold soup that’s basically a salad that decided to become a bowl. Diced tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and celery dressed with oil and vinegar, bathed in tomato juice, and chilled until ice cold. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Rubbing the bowl with a garlic clove before adding anything else is an old-school technique that infuses a subtle garlic presence throughout the soup without the sharpness of minced raw garlic floating around. The toothpick-speared clove stays in the bowl during chilling and comes out before serving.

Three hours minimum in the fridge. Overnight is better. The flavors need time to marry and the vegetables release their juices into the tomato base, creating a broth that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Kitchen Tips

• Dice everything small and even. This is a soup, not a chunky salsa. Fine dice means every spoonful has a bit of everything.
• Leave the cucumber unpeeled. The skin adds color and a slight bitterness that contrasts nicely with the sweet tomato juice.
• Use freshly ground black pepper. Pre-ground tastes dusty in a cold soup where nothing is cooked.
• Serve in chilled bowls for maximum cold impact on a hot day.

Variations

• Add diced avocado just before serving for a creamier, richer bowl.
• Stir in a dash of hot sauce or a diced jalapeño for a spicier gazpacho-style version.
• Swap the sour cream for a drizzle of good olive oil and a few torn basil leaves.