LUSCIOUS LEMON SOUP

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 6–8 Servings

Comment:
Lemon soup is the perfect beginning or ending to any meal, especially during hot Louisiana summers. This soup is so wonderfully cooling, perhaps it should be called luscious lemon malt!

Ingredients:
3 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsps grated lemon zest
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup vanilla ice cream, divided
fresh mint leaves

Method:
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and buttermilk, continuing to whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into a 9-cup food processor. NOTE: If you do not have a large enough processor, blend the soup in 2 or 3 equal batches. Add ½ cup ice cream and blend mixture 1–2 minutes or until liquid has become frothy. Transfer soup into a large crystal pitcher, cover and chill for a minimum of 4 hours. Serve soup in champagne glasses and garnish with remaining ice cream, mint leaves and additional zest, if desired. NOTE: When grating lemon zest, be careful to remove only the yellow outer layer and not the white skin underneath.