Beat the heat with Mark Bittman's delicious cold soups

Try his refreshing tomato gazpacho, vichyssoise and cold pureed asparagus soup

Video: Chill out with cool summer soups

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>>> this morning on how to cook everything today, cold soup for a hot summer day. mark bittman is turning fresh vegetables into three soups that bring out the flavors of summer. he's the author of "how to cook everything the basics" and his recipes appear in "the new york times" magazine. good morning.

>> good morning, matt.

>> perfect timing. you did really well here. it's about 90 degrees outside. we've got lots of steamy conditions and you're making cold soups.

>> some of these, anyway, are very familiar names. gazpacho and wish swoi.

>> classics.

>> and with great reason.

>> what you want people to do is go to their local market, go to the supermarket. look at the things that are the freshest and find a way to turn them into soup.

>> this is really, you've got tomatoes. you've got cucumbers, things that are starting to come into season, and there's nothing really that's easier than basic gazpacho.

>> so degree of difficulty on this one to ten is a two?

>> a one even. if you have the food processor . so bread is kind of optional but traditionally, definitely use. and cucumbers.

>> and you cut these things in good chunks. you don't dice them.

>> you don't have to. because the food processor is going to do the work. a little garlic. you can use red pepper in here. you can use scallions. you can omit the garlic. you can panic. tomatoes i would say are essential.

>> other than the juice of the tomatoes do you give it any more liquid? just olive oil ?

>> olive oil . we'll get to this.

>> tomato juice in this?

>> there is some water. i've been told that this started with taking a can of tomatoes and chopping it up and drinking it from the can. you know, if you're in the field working and that's what you have.

>> two ways to do this. you can do this very fine where you put the food processor on and it kind of makes, i don't know, a puree. versus the chunky style.

>> we're going to do, this is really chunky here. the get the idea. you wind up with something like that. very much of a cold stew. and you want to chill this down before you eat it. or, you leave the bread out, better off with a blender than a food processor , and you have super refreshing, very -- you know the home made v-8.

>> so there's your two versions. chunky style and the puree style right here.

>> right.

>> next vichyssoise. this always seemed to be a luxurious french soup but you've made it much more approachable.

>> well it always was. in fact it's a peasant, really a peasant soup, and let's see if we can do this without setting the studio on fire. always a peasant soup. it's leeks and potatoes from the garden. you saute the leeks a little bit, add potatoes. again, you know --

>> simple baking potato?

>> yeah, a baking potato is really good. and then chicken stock , or water. and you just cook that until the potatoes are tender, which you know, depending on the size you cut them up, ten minutes, 20 minutes , something in there.

>> one of the things i was reading about, and that would go for gazpacho as well as this, when you're using vegetables raw you need more salt. why is that?

>> when you're serving soups cold you need more salt.

>> that's what i said. when you're serving soups cold --

>> trick question.

>> you want to use more salt. why?

>> somehow chilling things down makes the salt retreat. so you just use a little more salt and it brings it out.

>> okay.

>> and try it, it's true.

>> you boil this and then what do you do?

>> you cool it down because we don't trust blenders with hot liquids. at least i don't. this one, you want really, really pureed. luxuriously creamy. and even more so if you add some cream.

>> why would you make that decision? you could also not add cream, right?

>> you could not add cream. obviously you add cream you turn it into a pretty fatty soup. but then it becomes just deliciously unctuous, shall we say.

>> that's what it looks like. you garnish it --

>> with a little schiefs.

>> real quickly back here you've got an asparagus cold soup and what are you boiling that with?

>> here again asparagus, potatoes and chicken stock . very similar actually. and if you want, and you dare, you can puree this in the pot with the immersion blender . i like the standing blender better but if this is what you have, it will work.

>> okay.

>> it will take some time.

>> but you're looking for also a pureed consistency?

>> look at the color. just spectacular. a little dollop of yogurt on there and there you go.

>> fantastic. mark bittman . three cold soups for a perfect, steamy

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 5/28/2012 11:21:46 AM ET

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Start your summer off right with Mark Bittman's recipes for delicious and refreshing cold soups like tomato gazpacho, vichyssoise and cold pureed asparagus soup.

Recipe: Tomato gazpacho (on this page) Recipe: Vichyssoise (on this page) Recipe: Cold pureed asparagus soup (on this page)

Recipe: Tomato gazpacho

Mark Bittman

Ingredients

2 pounds chopped tomatoes, with their juices
1 peeled and diced cucumber
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 slices day-old bread
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, olive oil, bread, and garlic in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. If the gazpacho seems too thick, add a bit of water.

2. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve within a couple of hours. Garnish: drizzle of olive oil.

Serving Size

Serves 4

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Recipe: Vichyssoise

Mark Bittman

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 peeled and cubed potatoes
3 trimmed and chopped leeks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken, beef , for vegetable stock, or water
1/2 cup cream, or more if you like
minced chives for garnish

Preparation

1. Put the butter in a large, deep pot over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 or 3 minutes.

2. Add the stock or water. Adjust the heat so it gently bubbles, and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, then refrigerate and let cool completely. Stir in cream before serving. Garnish: minced chives.

Serving Size

Serves 4

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Recipe: Cold pureed asparagus soup

Mark Bittman

Ingredients

4 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds chopped asparagus (peeled if it's fat)
1 large peeled and cubed potato
fresh lemon juice for garnish
olive oil for garnish

Preparation

1. Bring the stock or water and some salt and pepper to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and turn the heat to low so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture; strain and discard the solids. Refrigerate to cool. Garnish with fresh lemon juice and olive oil, and serve.