NEW YORK, Aug 3 — You could call Katie Lee the younger version of Ina Garten, with her shingled, beach house in the Hamptons, love of all things French, and penchant for throwing easy, breezy summer soirees in her elegant garden. This summer Lee shares some of the recipes that make recurring appearances in her kitchen and backyard patio every year.

After hosting countless sunset dinner parties for friends and family, Lee, co-host of The Food Network's “The Kitchen,” compiled some of her favourite summer recipes and entertaining tips into the Endless Summer Cookbook released earlier this year.

“A chilled soup on a hot day is so refreshing. One of the farm stands I frequent, the Green Thumb, has a selection of the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes in their season. I thought the Green Zebras looked cool, so I bought a bunch of them, not knowing quite what I’d do with them. They served as a pretty centerpiece in a big wooden bowl on my counter until I figured it out: gazpacho. The avocado in this recipe adds an extra element of creaminess, and the lime juice evens out the flavors of the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. If I am serving it for an outdoor meal on a hot day, I like to stick the bowls in the freezer for a few minutes before ladling in the soup so it stays nice and cold.” — Katie Lee

Green Gazpacho

Serves 6-8

2 pounds (910 g) Green Zebra tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped, plus 1 Green Zebra tomato, cut into small wedges, for garnish

1 unpeeled seedless cucumber, coarsely chopped, plus 1 finely diced unpeeled cucumber for garnish

1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1 Hass avocado, chopped

1 small jalapeño, seeded

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus more whole leaves for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, combine half of the coarsely chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and onion with the avocado, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and 1 cup cold water and blend until smooth. Transfer the puree to a large bowl.

Add the remaining coarsely chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and onion to the blender along with the mint, cilantro, and oil and pulse to a chunky puree. Add the puree to the bowl and stir well. Refrigerate the soup until well chilled, about 1 hour.

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with tomato wedges, diced cucumber, and mint leaves, and finish with a drizzle of oil. Serve cold. — AFP-Relaxnews