Soups – Cream of Zucchini

Along with the Fish Fillets with Summer Vegetable Medley, and Zucchini Squares, from previous posts, this soup completes a full menu taking advantage of zucchini as a summer crop.  This recipe follows the old-fashioned way to make a creamy soup, using a flour and butter roux as thickener, and milk instead of cream, just the way my mom always made her crema de calabacita (cream of zucchini); topping with dry toasted croutons was her style, as well, a good measure to keep the fat content low.

Cream of Zucchini – Crema de calabacita

Printable recipe:  Cream of Zucchini

Ingredients (for 6 portions)

1 lb (454g), about 3-4 medium zucchini; washed
¼ white onion; peeled, and sliced
2 cups milk
2 cups water
4 tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp ground white pepper, or to taste
4 slices day-old bread, cubed and toasted

Trim and discard ends from zucchini; slice each one into quarters lengthwise, then slice each quarter into chunks.  Reserve.

In a large pot over medium heat, warm up two tablespoons of butter; once it has melted, add flour, and stir to mix (photo below, left).  Continue cooking and stirring, until the flour and butter are incorporated, forming a sandy and slightly browned roux (photo below, right):

Transfer roux to a small bowl, and return pot to the stove.  Melt the other two tablespoons of butter in the pot, then add sliced onions, sautéing and stirring regularly (photo below, left).  Continue until onions have turned translucent, then add reserved zucchini, mixing to coat with melted butter (photo below, right):

Cook for a couple of minutes, then add water (photo below, left).  Bring to a boil, season with salt, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cover pot (photo below, right):

Cook for ten minutes.

Uncover pot, then ladle about one cup of the hot liquid into the small bowl with the reserved roux (photo below, left).  Stir roux and liquid with an egg beater or wooden spoon; try to form a very smooth slurry, to avoid issues with grainy textures later (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Add one cup of milk to the pot.  Either transfer in batches to a blender, to process until smooth, then return to the pot, or use an immersion blender, as shown below, left.  Once smooth (there will still be green speckles), pour in the reserved slurry, mixing with a spoon to incorporate, or continue processing with the immersion blender(photo below, right):

Increase heat back to medium, and add and incorporate the other cup of milk (photo below, left).  Season with white pepper, and adjust salt if needed.  Continue stirring (photo below, right):

Bring to a gentle simmer, until soup is hot and has thickened to a creamy consistency:

Serve hot, topping with croutons:

This soup is pure comfort food for me, just like the one my mom used to make, often as a stimulating first course for special meals, or when friends came over for lunch.  The green speckles in the soup look appetizing, and the soup is light, yet creamy, coating the crispy croutons for a delicious bite: 

Delicious recipes utilizing zucchini sure help erase their stigma of becoming a boffola pest at summer harvest time; nobody will ever complain of having too much of this good thing!

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Dailyprompt 2043

What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #657 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #625, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #501  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #436 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.