Andrea's Spicy BLT Soup and Couscous Cakes

  I was quite excited when I seen this recipe as it combines a bunch of yummy ingredients. Plus, I had everything to make it. I just had to wait a month to actually make it when produce was going to be available, like tomatoes and cucumbers. I wasn't going to buy them when I knew mom was going to have some in the garden.
   You need a blender and a fine-mesh sieve. I don't have a fine-mesh sieve. I used a smaller hole colander and pressed the liquid through. I think I might have to invest in one,  it would have been easier and a cleaner. I probably got about 4 servings out of it.

The tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, lettuce (finish picture) and jalapeno came from our gardens.

    I was actually disappointed in how it came out. I think the cucumber I used was way to much. It reminded me eating watermelon soup even though it was tomatoes. It turned a pink color and not the orange looking color in the magazine. You can see in the blender how it turned out. I'm pretty sure there's was pink to before they touched it to make it look like tomato soup. Barry had issues with it too and thought it tasted fruity. He said he was burping up cucumber all night. He did like the bacon.
   We tried it both cold and warmed up and neither was better then the other. I really did like the Chopped Egg and Garlic Vinaigrette which I'll include after this. I put some on as a garnish and didn't add anything to the soup, I couldn't taste what I made, just these chunks of egg. It also wasn't that spicy either, but that was of my own choosing. You never know how spicy a jalapeno can be so I just added a half one.  Try making this and see how it turns out. It's great for getting those tomatoes used up. I just had two pounds when I weighed it. I'll have to try something different next time.

Recipe:

• 2 lb tomatoes (whatever you picked from the garden will do) chopped up
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 small cucumber, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium jalapenos, (take seeds and ribs out if you don't want added heat)
• ½ small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 2 tsp white vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have on hand)
• 1 slice wheat bread, crust removed and torn into pieces (once again whatever bread you have)
• ½ c  olive oil ( extra virgin)
• ½ tsp sugar 
• Chopped Egg and Garlic Vinaigrette
• croutons, crumbled cooked bacon, and sliced lettuce, to garnish 

    Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt; let sit 10 minutes. While the tomatoes are relaxing in salt, prep the rest of your veggies. Now get the blender and combine tomatoes, cucumbers, chiles, onion, garlic, vinegar, bread, oil , and sugar and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve (that I don't have) into a large bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Cover soup and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette and desired toppings. Serves 4
Adapted from Everyday Food, July/August 2011, pg 39


Chopped Egg and Garlic Vinaigrette
  This taste better then it looks. I also maybe forgot that I was cooking the eggs and gotten over done, hence there's no photo of dicing up the eggs. I would make this again as sandwich or put on lettuce. I didn't buy a lemon but I used lemon juice from a bottle. It's fine to use lemon juice from a bottle. I can see people swinging their heads in disbelief. Lemons are rather spendy in Iowa. I'm sure if I wouldn't have like the zest anyway. Also, the yolks get a little hard to mash if you don't over cook them to a rubber consistency. Silly eggs.

Separate the whites and yolks of 2 hard-cooked large eggs that you didn't over cook.  In a small bowl, mash yolks with and stir in 1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste,  2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/3 cup olive oil. Roughly chop egg whites and add to bowl. Season to taste with coarse salt.You'll need salt.

Couscous Cakes

 The first time we had couscous was at Disney World in Animal Kingdom at Tusker House. The restaurant showcases flavors of Africa. It's amazing how you try new stuff on vacation. We had it cold in salads or warm in side dishes. We absolutely loved it. It's very easy to make and different then noodles, rice and potatoes. This is the first time we ever tried it like this.We liked them but thought they could use a little more flavor. It took us about 1 minute and 30 seconds to cook per side.

• 2 1/4 cups cooked couscous
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

  Stir together couscous, eggs, and basil until combined and season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in batches, drop couscous mixture in 1/4-cup mounds (just about 8 mounds). I just flattened each mound with my 1/4 cup measuring cup. Cook until golden and crisp, about minute and 30 seconds for each side, flipping once. Might want to use a fork and spatula to flip them over so they hold together better. Drain on paper towels.
Adapted from Everyday Food, July/August 2011, pg 88