Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup With Bulgur Timbales

From: "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" by Lorna Sass. "In this elegant soup, a refreshing cucumber-yogurt puree forms a moat around a mound of brightly seasoned bulgur. It's the perfect light lunch in the dog days of summer." *Time does not include time to cook bulgur or chill.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Soup

• 8  large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded
• 1 1⁄3 cups plain low-fat yogurt
• 1⁄4 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 -4  tablespoons  fruity olive oil
•  salt, to taste

• For the Timbales

• 1 1⁄3 cups  cooked coarse bulgur or 1 1⁄3 cups  cooked quinoa or 1 1⁄3 cups  cooked short-grain brown rice
• 1⁄3 cup tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 2  teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3  tablespoons of fresh mint, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin, seeded toasted and finely chopped
•  salt, to taste
• 4  fresh mint sprigs, to garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Reserve half of one cucumber.
2. Place the remaining cucumbers into a food processor with the yogurt, milk, lemon juice, and oil to taste. Puree. (Some of the cucumber pulp will remain evident in the puree.).
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Chill the puree and reserved cucumber separately.
5. Meanwhile, make the timbale mixture:.
6. Combine the cooked bulgur, tomato, oil, lemon juice, chopped mint, cumin, and salt in a small bowl. Cover and set aside to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. To serve:.
8. Finely dice the reserved cucumber and stir into the puree.
9. Divide the cucumber puree among four wide, shallow soup bowls.
10. Firmly press enough bulgur mixture into a 1/3 cup measuring cup to reach the top. Run a knife along the edges to loosen the timbale. Position it over the center of a soup bowl and turn it over. Tap the bottom to release the timbale into the puree. Repeat to make 3 more servings.
11. Garnish each portion with a sprig of mint.