Minted Zucchini Soup with Mascarpone

Warm soup, I know, is not usually favored during the hot months of summer. Still, with the abundance of fresh produce at this time of year, I have no problem cranking up the A.C. to enjoy a warm garden medley of comfort food in the artificially crisp climate I've created. That said, I've also gained a considerable fondness for mint over the past few years, but have yet to explore its creative possibilities. Mint with savory meats or fruits or vegetables. So simple, so wonderful.

Thus, in my search for mascarpone recipes featuring mint, this Minted Zucchini Soup with Mascarpone concoction caught my eye.

Most of the ingredients are pictured below.


















Sidenote: I think it was in an America's Test Kitchen book that I read rave reviews about Swanson's Low-Sodium Chicken Broth in a box. Something about how you can get it in a can, but the processing for the broth is different, so it's not as good.

Anyway, back to the recipe.

Slice about 2 lbs. of zucchini, chop 1 yellow onion, and mince or use a garlic press for 5 garlic cloves (-cough- I may have used more like 6 or 7...).

Estimate the amount of butter and olive oil needed; heat equal portions in the frying pan. When near the smoking point, I added the garlic and onion alone simply to encourage caramelization. A few minutes later, I added the zucchini.



















Sauteing should take about 10 minutes after adding the zucchini, but it took me longer - I think because my pan was too small.



















Transfer the cooked veggies to a pot, add 3 c. chicken broth, and cook on medium high for another 5-10 minutes. Add the entire can of cannelini beans along with most of the liquid in the can.



















Puree the contents of the pot by hand or with a blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add 8 oz. of mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
























And, hoorah - here comes the mint! Create a mint chiffonade and garnish. We served the soup with this fancy braided bread from the farmer's market. It looked better than it tasted.



















I think a white wine would suit this soup nicely, but we only had red wine in the house, and so we paired the soup with this Spanish red. The label said something about how it was good with roasted vegetables and I went with it. It did, actually, compliment the meal quite well.
























In conclusion, my family and I enjoyed this recipe. My sister said it's a keeper. I'd rate it a solid 7/10. It is tasty and fresh and made for a nice Saturday summer supper. Again, we enjoyed a cup of leftover soup (sans mint) with our grilled Gruyère and brie sandwiches today - the perfect rainy day post-church lunch.

I only wish that I had the nutritional stats for this soup - it's very reminiscent of cream of "fill-in-the-blank" vegetable soups, but it lacks the wealth of fatty dairy products; the protein-rich beans and mascarpone give it a nice full flavor. For those who don't enjoy mascarpone, light cream cheese can be substituted. I'd like to try that next time I make this.