Chilled Three Pepper Soup with Yogurt, Lime, Cilantro, & Tortilla Strips for the 5 Star Makeover Chilled Soup Challenge

I cannot tell a lie: I was not thrilled when I found out the theme of this month's Five Star Makeover Challenge, hosted as ever by the lovely and talented Natasha of Five Star Foodie and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks!. Chilled soups. If you'll pardon the expresion, I have never really warmed to them.

Oh, they're fine for a few bites. But I always think that with just a few tweaks, even the best of them would be better as something else. Fruity chilled soup? That would make a lovely smoothie. Gazpacho? Great as a Bloody Mary base. Cold vegetable soup? Just right for a dip or sauce.

But they don't call these things challenges for nothing, and so I put on my thinking cap and decided to make something using the hot and tart flavors I have been obsessed with lately. I came up with this 'three pepper soup," a blend of roasted jalapeno, Poblano, and sweet green peppers with yogurt, garlic, cilantro, and lots of fresh lime juice. Poppa Trix, who does not share my feelings about cold soups, declared it a success. I had mine in a tall shot glasses, just the right serving size for me. That said, cold soup lovers could certainly not go wrong with a small bowl of the stuff:

The recipe makes far more peppers than you'll need to serve two (in cup bowls), but they keep in the fridge for a few days so you can whip up more batches to order.

Chilled Three Pepper Soup

5 jalapenos

1 large Poblano pepper

1 large sweet green pepper

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 cup Greek yogurt (or more, to taste)

large handful of fresh cilantro

juice of one lime

2-3 corn tortillas, cut into strips

oil for frying

salt, to taste

Roast the peppers until charred over the flame of a gas burner or under the broiler. When cool, remove the skins, leaving a bit of skin for flavor. Remove seeds and veins, and chop coarsely. Place, along with the garlic, in a saucepan and just cover with water (about one cup). Simmer until tender. Cool and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Take roughly 1/2 - 3/4 cup of peppers (make sure to have a blend of all 3 types), 1/3 cup the broth (or more, depending onhow spicy you want your soup), along with the yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice, and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Add salt to taste. Add more yogurt if needed for thickness. Refrigerate. Meanwhile, fry the tortilla strips in 1/2 inch oil until golden and drain on paper towels. Serve soup garnished with the tortilla strips. 

I may be a chilled soup curmudgeon, but I did love the flavors in this, and the tortilla strips gave the creamy tart soup a nice crunch. I just think it would be better as a dip. 

Make sure to check out the round up on Friday over at Five Star Foodie. I suspect that the fabulous creations will change even my mind about chilled soups! Until then, stay cool. 

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

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