soup’s on- two days and counting

A super way to transition from cocktails to dinner- pass soup to your guests in small cups. For my party for twenty I’m serving a cold curried zucchini soup. I was going to use pretty decorative paper cups that I could toss away but because so many in attendance will be conservationists I was “cup shamed” into using china. Thankfully I have two beautiful sets of demitasse cups and a dear friend with impeccable taste loaned me a few of hers. These small cups make a big splash in presentation and because they hold simply a swallow I could have gotten away with making only batch for this crowd.

Thinly slice the zucchini. A mandoline makes quick work of this job.

Sauté the zucchini and onions with a pinch of salt for ten minutes.

Add the curry powder and stir. (Use a top notch curry- mine is from Zabar’s).

Add the half and half and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Carefully puree the mixture with a hand blender. Cool completely then refrigerate overnight. Can be made two days ahead of time.

Just before serving garnish each cup with a swirl of sour cream thinned with half and half.

(For more tricks of the trade in creating a dinner for twenty click on the previous five posts and stay tuned for more to come)