Soups That Run Hot and Cold

Soups don’t have to be rich to be satisfying. Some of the best soups--especially in summer--are fully flavored and filling, but still light and low-fat.

The following soups meet these specifications--and they can be easily prepared in advance. The Thai carrot and bright asparagus soups have a common formula: Both are thickened with vegetable purees, giving them appealing flavor, substance and color without any added fat. The farmer’s gazpacho is a medley of chopped ingredients mixed into a tomato juice base.

The vegetables for the soups can be chopped in the food processor so they retain their texture. Simply use an on/off motion as if you were using a knife on a board; stop as soon as you are satisfied with the results.

To puree soups, however, the blender does the smoothest job by far. Soups pureed in food processors may leak around the center opening if there’s too much liquid in the work bowl. If you use a processor, add just enough liquid to puree the vegetables--leave most of the liquid in the pot. Transfer the pureed mixture back into the pot and whisk the soup until well combined.

These soups can all be served chilled as well as steaming-hot. They’re obviously terrific on the lunch or supper table, but they shouldn’t be overlooked for picnics since they’re extremely easy to transport in thermal containers.

Carrots lend themselves to many ethnic flavors. Here, they’re combined with garlic, ginger and onion to make a vibrant and refreshing soup.

THAI CARROT SOUP

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium Spanish onion, thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 (1-inch) cube peeled ginger root, minced

1 3/4 pounds carrots, trimmed, scrubbed, thinly sliced

4 cups chicken stock or broth, skimmed of fat

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Salt

Crushed hot red pepper

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until hot and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add 3 cups stock. Simmer, covered, until carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.

Drain liquid from solids. Reserve liquid. Puree solids with cilantro in blender or processor until smooth. Add as much liquid as container can hold. Puree until even smoother. Transfer to 3-quart bowl. Add remaining liquid, if any, and remaining 1 cup stock. Season to taste with salt and crushed hot pepper. Serve chilled or hot. Makes 7 cups, 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

115 calories; 614 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.55 grams fiber.

Note: Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen up to 3 months. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving.

This is a soup that requires no cooking; the most time-consuming steps are buying and chopping the vegetables. If you’re using a food processor, cut the whole vegetables into one-inch pieces to facilitate chopping.

Sun-ripened tomatoes form the base of the soup, and they make all the difference. If the tomatoes you’re using are somewhat lacking in flavor, compensate with one to two tablespoons of tomato paste or catsup to taste.

Gazpacho shouldn’t be frozen, but it will keep a few days in the refrigerator. Surprisingly, it’s delicious gently heated and served hot. Since this soup (hot or cold) is like a salad, it’s best served with sandwiches and cold cuts.

FARMER’S GAZPACHO WITH BASIL

1/4 red onion, halved

1 medium carrot, scrubbed

1/2 large sweet red pepper

2 small pickling cucumbers, scrubbed

3 large ripe tomatoes, halved, juiced and seeded

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 large ear corn, raw or leftover, corn cut from husk, kernels separated

2 cups seasoned tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Hot pepper sauce

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Finely chop onion, carrot, sweet red pepper and cucumbers. If using food processor, cut onion, carrot, sweet red pepper and cucumbers into 1-inch pieces. Place vegetables in processor work bowl fitted with metal blade. Finely chop, using quick on/off motion until vegetables are desired texture. Transfer to 2-quart mixing bowl.

Puree tomatoes with basil until smooth in blender or processor work bowl (use same bowl used for vegetable chopping, without washing). Add puree to vegetables along with corn kernels, tomato juice and sugar. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Stir well to combine.

Serve chilled or gently reheated (try to retain crunch in vegetables). To serve, stir well, adjust seasonings to taste and garnish with basil leaves. Makes about 5 1/2 cups, 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

80 calories; 105 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.72 grams fiber.

Note: Can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated, covered airtight.

In this soup, frozen asparagus is far more practical than fresh asparagus, which should be enjoyed spear by spear. The spinach leaves give this soup a bright hue without altering the taste of the asparagus.

BRIGHT ASPARAGUS SOUP

1 tablespoon oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen asparagus spears

3 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1/2 cup tender spinach leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Low-fat yogurt or sour half and half, optional

Heat oil in 3-quart pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and stock. Simmer, covered, about 25 minutes.

Drain liquid from solids. Reserve liquid. Puree solids with spinach in blender or processor until smooth. Then add as much liquid as container can hold. Puree until even smoother. Transfer to 3-quart bowl. Add remaining liquid, if any. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Serve chilled or hot, garnished with swirls or dollop of yogurt. Makes about 5 1/2 cups, 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

130 calories; 772 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 1.76 grams fiber.

Note: Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen up to 3 months.