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I’ve been wanting to make this chilled soup for a while, but wasn’t expecting anything earth-shattering. This recipe, however, is pretty spectacular. Rich, luscious, and creamy, it is a meal in itself. A garnish of the soup’s main ingredients gives texture to the final dish, which looks like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen.

1 3/4 cups diced cucumber (1/2 large hothouse), plus more for garnish
1 cup green grapes, plus more for garnish
1 cup slivered or sliced almonds, plus more for garnish
1 clove garlic
1 cups cubed baguette (1/2 a demi-baguette)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Add 2 cups water to the blender and whirl until smooth.
3. Divide evenly among bowls and garnish with diced cucumber, green grapes (halved), almonds, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 2-4

photo 1 (1)

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I have three huge sausages (freshly made, from school!), and I also have a cup of red lentils that have been sitting in the darkest area of my cabinet. Oh–and a leek and a half that will go limp very soon.

All I need is one more ingredient to tie these three things together. And there it is: butter.

Prepare the red lentils according to the package’s directions (add a bay leaf to the broth or water for a bit more flavor). Meanwhile, sweat thinly sliced leeks in a combination of butter and oil. Once soft, add crumbled sausage (casings removed–sorry boys) and cook until no longer pink.

Combine the lentils with the leeks and sausage. Stir in a generous amount of butter and season with S & P and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

This hearty dinner came together in less than half an hour, and couldn’t be simpler to prepare.