Cold tomato soup with Slovenian buckwheat vodka
In August, at the Ljubljana market, there's no dilemma: tomatoes of all varieties, colors, and shapes reign supreme.
© Suzan Gabrijan
In the surrounding gardens and fields of Ljubljana, it thrives well, so it should become part of the menu in restaurants and local eateries during the August season. The tomatoes, with their juiciness, will ensure that the soup is refreshing and delicate, and with the addition of vodka, it becomes a kind of Bloody Mary variation on the plate... Vodka and tomatoes are a familiar and classic pair, while the addition of mashed avocado provides creaminess.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 summer onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
When serving:
- Some sprigs of parsley or basil
- 1.5 dl Slovenian buckwheat vodka from the freezer
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 dl (if needed, plant-based) sour cream
PREPARATION METHOD
Peel the tomatoes by quickly blanching them and removing the skin, then cut them into cubes. Cut the cucumber into larger pieces and remove the seeds. Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic.
Put all the vegetables in a food processor. Blend until you get a slightly grainy but evenly mixed mixture. Add lemon juice and olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Blend again until you get a completely smooth consistency. Place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.
Once the soup is chilled, stir in the frozen vodka and sprinkle with basil or parsley. Before serving, blend the avocado smoothly with sour cream and swirl it into the soup. If it's very hot, you can add a few ice cubes to the soup.