Mexican Cold Avocado Buttermilk Soup Food

CHILLED AVOCADO BUTTERMILK SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the avocado in half. Scoop out the flesh and reserve about a third of one half. Set that third aside (if you keep the pit with the avocado it will prevent it from turning brown).
• In a blender mix together the avocado, buttermilk, salt, shallot, cayenne pepper, lime juice, pumpkin seeds and ½ cup water. Blend until completely smooth and then check for consistency. If you want a thinner soup add more water.
• Pour the soup into two glasses or one bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
• When the soup is ready to serve, dice the remaining avocado. Garnish the soup with avocado chunks, pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne (and some fresh herbs if you please). Serve immediately while it is still cold.

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP

Steps:

• Scrape avocados from skin into processor. Add buttermilk and yogurt; purée until smooth. Mix in lime juice, jalepeño and chili powder. With machine running, blend in 1/2 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper. Chill soup until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Thin soup with more broth, if desired. Spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with onion.

MEXICAN COLD AVOCADO & BUTTERMILK SOUP

Steps:

• Place the onions in a blender or processor and add 1 cup of the puree as fine as possible.
• Peel and chunk in 2 1/2 of the avocados, reserving the remaining half for garnish.
• Puree again, adding broth as necessary.
• Transfer the soup to a large bowl.
• Add any remaining broth the buttermilk to the blender and whirl briefly to pick as much avocado as possible.
• Add to the soup, along with the extract and sugar, if desired.
• Both of these rather surprising ingredients enhance avocado when used in tiny amounts.
• Stir well, taste and adjust the salt.
• The soup may be made to this in advance and refrigerated several hours, but for best flavor allow it to warm up a bit before serving.
• It should be cold but not icy.
• Peel the remaining half avocado cut into very thin slices.
• Divide soup-among six serving bowls and top with the sliced avocado, and coriander.
• Serve accompanied by the tortilla chips.

CHILLED CUCUMBER AVOCADO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large measuring cup combine the buttermilk and enough ice cubes to measure 1 1/2 cups total. In a blender blend the buttermilk mixture with half the cucumber, the avocado, peeled and pitted, the broth, the lemon juice, and the cumin until the mixture is smooth. Divide the soup between chilled bowls and stir half the remaining cucumber into each serving.

CHILLED AVOCADO AND YOGURT SOUP WITH TOMATO SALSA

Steps:

• Halve and pit the avocados. Set aside half an avocado for the salsa. Put the remaining avocado flesh in a blender with the buttermilk, yogurt, cilantro, garlic, chile, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more chile if desired, and then blend again. Transfer to a bowl and stir in enough cold water to thin the soup to a pleasing consistency, about 1/2 cup. Stir in the lime juice, or more to taste, and season with salt. Chill thoroughly.
• Just before serving, prepare the salsa: In a bowl, stir together the tomato, onion, cilantro, chile, and garlic. Cut the reserved avocado half into 1/4-inch dice and fold it in gently, and then season to taste with salt and lime juice and stir again gently to avoid mashing the avocado.
• If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, whisk in ice water to thin it to the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning. Divide among 6 bowls. Top each serving with a spoonful of salsa and serve.

COLD AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER SOUP WITH DILL

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, purée garlic, cucumber and avocado, scraping down sides if necessary. Add buttermilk, 3/4 cup water, dill, salt, a pinch of cayenne, black pepper and half the orange juice. Blend until smooth.
• Add remaining orange juice in increments until you like the flavor. Cover and refrigerate. Serve soup chilled, garnished, if desired, with shrimp tossed with olive oil and lime juice.