After forty days of fasting from meat, it might be disappointing to see a vegetarian recipe, but this soup is soooo delicious.   We have a really wonderful friend from Bulgaria who brought this over for Pascha.  This is a great no cook soup – perfect for a warm sunny day.  The cucumbers and dill make it light and fresh, but then the walnuts add a richness to an already delicious soup.

One note – this recipe is made from a homemade yogurt, which has a soupier consistency, but really rich flavor.  If you buy store bought then stay away from greek yogurt, because it has had all the whey strained out – which is why it is so thick.  Look for Seven Stars plain yogurt and make sure you buy full fat…. harder to find, but better for you.

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Bulgarian Cucumber Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large fresh cucumber, shredded through a large holed grater
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 2½ cups plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• approximately ⅓ cup water
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Directions

Place all ingredients (except water) into large bowl and stir well to incorporate.  Add water until you get desired consistency… like a thin pea soup.

Serve chilled.

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