Spicy Cold Tomatillo Soup

The tomatillo is a plant of the nightshade family, related to the cape gooseberry, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos originated in Mexico, and are a staple of that country’s cuisine.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos, hulled and washed
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes, for garnish

Cook’s Note

Since avocado begins to discolor rapidly when exposed to air, it should be cut at the last minute.

Directions

  1. Step 1

    Heat broiler. Place tomatillos, garlic, and serrano chile in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tomatillos are soft and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Turn all items; continue cooking until other side is soft and browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Peel garlic; place cloves in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add tomatillos, serrano, and any accumulated juices along with cucumber, onion, cilantro, stock, lime juice, and salt; blend until mixture is smooth. Add yogurt and the water; process until they are just combined.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer to a large bowl or plastic storage container; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, ladle into bowls; garnish with avocado.

  • yield: Makes 1 quart

From marthastewart.com