Spicy Zucchini Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño chile, seeds, stems and ribs removed and discarded, chopped
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 2 pounds chopped zucchini, about 5-6 cups
• 1 1/2 cups chopped day-old bread
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed, chopped, optional
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Lemon wedges, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and chopped jalapeño, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the onion looks soft and glassy without picking up color.
2. Add the garlic and zucchini to the pot and keep everything moving as it cooks for another 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Stir in the bread, broth, and water, then bring the soup to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let it bubble gently for 20 minutes. If uncooked potatoes are standing in for the bread, give them a bit more time if they need it, depending on the potatoes.
4. Take the pot off the heat, then add the mint and cilantro, if you are using it. Blend the soup until smooth in a blender or food processor, doing this in batches if needed. An immersion blender works here too.
5. Pour the soup back into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, then add salt and pepper until it tastes right to you.
6. Finish with lemon wedges and sprigs of mint or cilantro. Serve the soup warm or chilled. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge.