Cold Cucumber Soup with Cherry Tomato Confetti

Here's a perfect chilled summer soup - really not much more than pureed cucumbers with fresh tomatoes on top.   I recommend a crusty baguette and salad to round out the meal.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup vegan buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 and 1/2 pounds cucumber (about 4 or 5)
• 1 halved and seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1. Peel the cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, seed, and coarsely chop.

2. Combine the cucumbers in a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the cherry tomatoes.  Process until smooth.

3. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls, and top each serving with 1/4 cup tomatoes.  I recommend a mix of yellow and red for the prettiest presentation. 

*To prepare the buttermilk, place 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.  Fill with plain non-dairy milk to equal 1/4 cup.  Let stand for 5 minutes, so the mixture can clabber (sour), then add to the recipe as directed.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 cup soup, 1/4 cup tomatoes), Calories 74

Tasting Notes:
At first bite, I thought this was too salty.  But then at second bite - and third, and fourth, and so on - I thought it was perfect, especially once the fresh cherry tomatoes were on my spoon.  It's what I imagine eating cucumber gelato might be like, thanks to the richness from the sour cream. There was just the right spice from the jalapeno.  This would get a 5 except, okay, it was saltier than I know is good for me, and I shouldn't let my taste buds get used to it.

Rating:
4