Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 20 cm long cukes 2/3 kg
• 1/2 cup minced shallots, scallions, and/or onions
• 35 g butter
• 1 1/3 l light chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp wine vinegar
• 3/4 tsp dried dill or tarragon
• 4 Tbls quick-cooking farina (cream of wheat) brea
• 225 ml sour cream
• 2 Tbls minced dill, tarragon or parsely

Preparation:

• Peel cukes, make and reserve about 20 thin slices and cut the balance in 1 cm chunks.
• Cook onions in butter until tender, not brown.
• Add cuke chunks, broth, vinegar and herbs, bring to boil, then stir in farina.
• Simmer partially covered 20-25 min.
• Then puree in blender or food mill and thin out with more liquid if necessary, season with salt and pepper.
• Serve hot or cold or room temp, by decorating bowls with reserved cuke slice, optional sour cream and herbs, I always skip cream and use extra herbs and black pepper.