Long, long ago, when I was in college in Austin, TX, a restaurant called the Old Swiss House made the best Cold Cucumber Soup. The restaurant has been gone for many years, but the recipe lives on.
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 small Spanish onion, sliced
- butter, for sauteing
- 1 pint chicken stock
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup whipping cream
- salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- ½ tsp. lemon juice
- chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Directions
- Peel cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise.
- Scrape seeds out of each half of the cucumber.
- Cut cucumbers crosswise into 1-inch slices.
- Heat butter until bubbly.
- Add onions and saute until transparent.
- Add cucumbers and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken stock.
- When stock boils, reduce heat and simmer until cucumbers are mushy.
- Blend flour and milk. When mixture is smooth, stir into the soup.
- Let boil for 10 minutes.
- Strain soup through a colander. Refrigerate until chilled.
- When chilled, add whipping cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice.
- Garnish with fresh chives.
Serve cold. Makes four servings.