Zucchini and basil are two common summer-garden plants with a tendency to get wildly prolific; if you’ve got a lot of both, why not combine them? This vividly green soup is an easy way to do just that. Cooking the zucchini until it’s tender enough to blend takes only about 10 minutes, so the fresh, green flavor of the vegetable is preserved. Once you’ve softened the squash, along with mildly flavored leeks, garlic, celery, and basil, blend it all with another handful of fresh basil (incorporating the herb both cooked and raw helps to maximize its heady aroma and spicy flavor) using an immersion blender, and your soup is ready.
