chilled radish soup

As I was scrubbing the garden dirt off the radishes this morning, I suddenly remembered a soup in one of Lee Bailey's cookbooks (which did not move to Minnesota with me) - a light lunch or supper soup.  I made it once years ago, but thought it was very bland, I think in part because you simmered the fresh radishes until soft, along with potatoes.  This morning I thought, why not skip the cooking?  Perfect!  The peppery zing of the radishes was intact so this recipe will be a keeper during fresh radish season - and such a pretty pink!

Fresh Radish Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped white onions
3/4 cup sliced white potatoes
water to just cover the potatoes for boiling
1 cup hot chicken stock
1 1/2 cups washed and sliced radishes
kosher salt to taste

Cook the onions until soft in the butter and set aside.
Simmer the potatoes until soft and drain.
Place the hot bouillon in a blender, add the potatoes and onions and blend until 
smooth, then add the radishes and blend again. It will be a very pretty pink.  Taste and add a little kosher salt if you think it needs it.  

Serve room temperature or chilled a bit, with some bread and butter sandwiches.

Delicious!

Sunday we went to a wonderful open house at the Holz Farm - a farm that was worked from the 1860's until 1993 - it is now protected in a sea of houses and condominiums nearby, and open to the public for special events - this was one of them.  Geared to children, there were farm animals to pet, ponies to ride.  A virtual cow (really!) to teach the kids how to milk a cow.  A country band, and an accordion group kept the children whirling and hopping.  In the kitchen they were making butter in a jar, and the old farm trucks and shucking machines were proudly displayed in a field, along with pumpkins and corn shucks.  They even had an old washboard and tub for the kids to try out, doing laundry.  I wandered around, falling in love with the old truck and the charming milk house next to the barn - and grateful that this wonderful old farm has been saved.