It seems like everyone around the US is suffering in the same sweltering conditions. Aarrgh--it is just TOO HOT. And humid. And gross. And that makes it a great time to plan some quick, no-cooking dinners. I can't believe that I waited so long to dust off this recipe. It's piquant, savory, delicious, quick to prepare, and above all COLD.
This recipe was "discovered" by my dad in a dated, 1970's, heart-healthy cookbook. It's a truly great recipe saddled with an unholy name: "California Sunshine Soup". Don't let the name dissuade you...or the ingredient list--there's some weird stuff in there--this recipe has made converts of nearly everyone who has grudgingly sampled it. It is gazpacho-esque with tofu (yes, I said tofu) and veggies floating in a broth that tastes kind of like french dressing.
California Sunshine Soup
1 quart Clamato Juice
1/2 cup Cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 pound pre-cooked Cocktail Shrimp (I use about 36 count size)
1/2 cup Tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I use firm tofu)
1 small Avocado, cubed
1/3 cup Onion, diced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 large clove Garlic, minced fine
1/3 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
Mix all and let mellow in the refrigerator overnight (or for at LEAST 4-5 hours).
Notes: I usually double the recipe so I can use a whole cucumber, a whole package of tofu, a whole small onion etc. I also add 1 or 2 ribs of celery, sliced crosswise into 1/8 inch slices.
I'd thought that this recipe was totally unique until I attended a pot-luck and another guest brought a bowl of her recipe--"Shrimp Bisque"--which was very similar except that the tofu was replaced by cream cheese. Although this recipe failed to dethrone California Sunshine Soup for a place in my "Daily Rotation" recipe binder, it's also very tasty. Try one--try both--see which recipe you prefer.
Shrimp Bisque
2 pints Clamato Juice
8 oz. small fresh Shrimp
1/2 cup Cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup Green Onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 dashes Tabasco Sauce
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dill
1 Avocado, chopped
3 ounces Cream Cheese
Combine all ingredients except avocado and cream cheese. Chill to blend flavors. Chop avocado and cream cheese into small squares and add to the bisque 1-2 hours before serving. Serves 8.
A (mostly) unedited blog about my creative and artistic endeavors. If I did it...or made it...or thought it...I probably blogged it.
10 comments:
Have you ever tried either with broth instead of Clamato juice? I doubt I'll be able to get Nigel to eat something with that ingredient in it. They both sound good, and I'm all in favor of cold soup.
Hey, Alison! Well, Clamato doesn't really have any taste of clams, as far as I can tell. I made this soup one time for a group of people which included vegetarians and I used V8--it is not as good, but is still OK. There's a thickness/viscosity issue as well. If I tried again to omit the Clamato, I might try to substitute a mixture of tomato juice (or V8) and vegetable broth 60/40 or 70/30. I hope you do try it--it's one of my favorite recipes.
One very hot summers day I made a batch of cold cucumber soup for dinner. A recipe I LOVE. My husband did his best to choke it down and politely asked that I never make it again. I wonder if I dare try this recipe? It sounds so very god.
Try it, Danger!
Hi Rickii, Are you going to make this soup? I hope you like it. I agree--a recipe without Clamato will require some tweaking.
I wonder what prompted the recipe's creator to name it "California Sunshine Soup"? The avocado or the tofu? I'm all for cold suppers but my husband's dietary restrictions require a severe sodium limit (under 300 mg/day), which unfortunately rules out the Clamato.
Oh my gosh, Kris--300mg/day sounds like it would rule out quite a lot of food items. Recently, I was trying to find a low sodium sliced turkey for my son's lunch sandwiches and I was horrified by the lack of good options. Now I'm going to have to find out what the sodium count is in the Clamato!
Kris-- Holy Cr@p that's a lot of sodium!
Sounds like a great recipe. Don't know what I'd think about cold cream cheese chunks but tofu sounds great! I'm going to try this soon.
I hope you like it, Peter :-)
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