West Tennessee folks have always been proud of their gardens. I have known this since a young child when everyone, rich or poor or in the middle, had a vegetable garden…some small…some very large…all very neatly planted. Rows and rows of succulent peas, beans, tomatoes, corn and squash!
Your vegetable garden reflected who you were and your connection to your community. Sharing the bounty was a big part of it as well. One neighbor grew too much corn so it was shared with neighbors…another grew too many cucumbers to eat or pickle so the extra got passed on.
This beautiful cold soup was made from yellow crookneck squash grown in the West Tennessee garden of my friends, Anita & Larry Mullins. A gift from their garden is an always a very deliciously welcome gift! The sharing tradition continues all the way to my Middle Tennessee kitchen.
I combined these squash with some green peas from the Nashville Farmer’s Market I had frozen a month or so ago with an onion and some low-fat & low sodium chicken broth. Quickly simmered together until softened……
….then blended until smooth & chilled for an hour or so.
Right before eating I stirred in a dollop of cold cream. Topped off with a handful of chopped up homegrown cherry tomatoes, sea salt & cracked black pepper.
Every bite deliciously creamy and cool…every spoonful a “West Tennessee summer day! A big thanks to my garden friends!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of chopped Yellow Crookneck Squash
- 2 cups fresh, shelled green peas
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chilled cream
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- sea salt & cracked black pepper
Directions:
- Add chopped squash, green peas, chopped onion, salt & pepper to a pan along with the broth. Cook just until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat.
- Blend in batches in a blender until smooth.
- Chill until ready to serve. Right before serving stir cream into soup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top each serving with some chopped cherry tomatoes & more pepper & salt if desired.
Recipe: Teresa Blackburn http://www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com
Hello Teresa, I don’t have your email and I wanted to thank you so much for the beautiful and fantastic potato salad cookbook!!!!! I can’t wait to start cooking up some of your recipes. It has been a wonderful week with Wouter! I hope that you can come visit us in the not too distant future…xxoxLicia
Hello Licia and thanks so much for taking such fun and good care of sweet Wouter. He is always a joy and he has so much fun with you guys. Enjoy the cookbook as it was sent to you both with love from Nashville. XXOX
Wow, simple and delicious and made with West Tennessee love!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I always appreciate it.
My girlfriend just shared some gorgeous apples and figs from her garden I like the color of your soup. I’m sure it’s delicious and so healthy.
This soup looks so colorful and delicious.
I’ll have to give this a try. One of my favourite things about Autumn is soup season. Have a great week. Emma.
So bright and fresh looking, I will give it a try!
It is very colorful! Tasty!