Lettuce Soup With Radish Salsa

This tastes much better than it sounds. I've been on a diet for about 2 months, and find that this soup satisfies me when I get cravings for forbidden snacks! It originally appeared in Paulette Mitchell's "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" cookbook, and was reprinted in a local periodical.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Soup

• 4  cups butter lettuce leaves, torn
• 2  cups  baby spinach leaves, steamed and torn
• 1  cup  fresh flat-leaf parsley sprig
• 1  large shallot, coarsely chopped (do not use dehydrated here)
• 3⁄4 cup plain yogurt
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  cups  prepared  vegetable stock (I use vegan, organic stock)
•  salt
•  fresh ground pepper

• Salsa

• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1⁄2 cup red radish, cut into 1- x 1/8-inch matchstick strips
• 1⁄4 cup  seeded cucumber, cut into 1- x-1/8 inch matchstick strips

Directions

1. Puree all soup ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a blender until smooth. Season to taste.
2. Refrigerate in a covered container until chilled, at least 3 hours, before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
3. Meanwhile, to make the salsa, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in the radish and cucumber strips. Refrigerate in a covered container.
4. Serve soup in shallow bowls with a mound of the salsa spooned atop each serving.