Recipes
Cream of Cucumber Soup
Source: Recipe variation from Better Homes and Gardens, Salads & Appetizers, Meredith Publishing Group, 1996
Servings: Makes 8 servings
- Ingredients:
- 4 large cucumbers (2 pounds)
- 3 tbsp. butter or margarine
- ½ cup finely chopped green onion
- 6 cups chicken broth (49 ½-ounce can) [reduced sodium can be used]
- ¼ cup farina (cream of wheat)
- 1 tbsp. fresh, minced dill
- 3 to 4 tsp. tarragon vinegar
- ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup light cream, half-and-half, dairy sour cream (light can be used) or crème fraiche (recipe below)
- Crème Fraiche
- ½ cup whipping cream (not ultra pasteurized)
- ½ cup diary sour cream
Instructions:
Peel the cucumbers. Slide the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice the cucumber halves thinly; set aside.
In a Dutch oven, melt the butter or margarine. Add the green onion and cook over low heat until the onion is tender but not brown. Add the cucumbers; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth; heat to boiling. Stir in the farina. Reduce heat and simmer the mixture, uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the fresh dill and continue simmering for another 5 minutes
Puree the mixture, one-third at a time, in a blender container of food processor bowl. Pour the pureed mixture into a bowl or covered container. Stir the tarragon vinegar and pepper into the cucumber mixture.
Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until the mixture is cool. Stir in the light cream, half-and-half, sour cream or crème fraiche. Cover and chill for 2 more hours or overnight. Serve the soup in chilled bowls or glass mugs. Garnish the servings with cucumber slices, snipped dill or parsley.
Crème Fraiche:
In a small bowl, stir together whipping cream and dairy sour cream. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 2 to 5 hours or until the mixture is thickened. When thickened, cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving time or up to 1 week. Stir before serving.
Shenandoah Growers suggests:
Use homemade herbal butter instead of plain in soup.
Use homemade tarragon vinegar.
For extra flavor, add 1 tbsp. of fresh, minced dill just before serving.