Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped (270g)
2 T sliced green onion
2 T butter
1 T red wine vinegar
4 c chicken broth
1 T farina

Or 1/2 large potato, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t+ dried dill or tarragon
1/2 c sour cream
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c cream or yogurt

Instructions: In 3-quart saucepan, cook the chopped green onion in butter until soft. Add chopped cucumber and wine vinegar (if using a potato instead of farina, add now). Saute 1 minute. Pour in broth, farina (if using), salt and pepper, and dill or tarragon. Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Place in blender, blend into a puree.

Pour into bowl, whisking sour cream. If soup is too strong or vinegary, add milk or yogurt to taste.

Can be served hot or cold. Garnish with cucumber slice and parsley.

Note: This soup can have a bit of a bite from the vinegar, so be sure to have the milk or yogurt to taper it with. I prefer to make this recipe with dill, but it would taste fine with tarragon as well.

Farina is a thickener similar in nature to cornstarch, but is made from potatoes. In this recipe, using an actual potato will have a very similar effect, acting as a thickening agent in the soup. Cornstarch could also be used in a pinch. Just like cornstarch, mix farina in water until smooth before adding to the recipe.