Creamy Basil Zucchini Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup basil leaves washed and stemmed, plus more for garnish loosely packed
• 0.3 teaspoon chili powder plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche plus more for garnish (see Notes)
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 4 cups chicken broth homemade reduced-sodium
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 large onion yellow chopped
• 2 pounds zucchini thick sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• ladle
• sieve
• blender

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and cook another 2 minutes; then add chicken broth and 1 cup basil leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
4. Pure the soup in batches in a blender.
5. Pour the soup through a strainer into a bowl, using a ladle to push any solid bits through.
6. Add 2 tbsp. crme frache and 1/4 tsp. chili powder. Season with salt to taste.
7. Divide soup among bowls and garnish each with some crme frache, a sprinkle of chili powder, and a few basil leaves.
8. The Twist: Dress It Up. We love the simplicity of this soothing, mild soup, but to make it a little fancier, skip garnishing the soup with crme frache, chili powder, and basil in step 3, and instead halve 1 roasted red bell pepper, removing seeds and stem. Slice half into ribbons.
9. Put the other half in a blender and pure with 1/2 cup crme frache or sour cream. Strain into a bowl, then drizzle over soup. Top with bell pepper ribbons and toasted pine nuts.