Cucumber Soup With Pistou

Servings: 6
Ingredients:

1 tb Olive oil
1    Leek (white part plus 1 inch
-of green) chopped
1    Stalk celery with leaves,
-chopped
1 lb Cucumbers, peeled, halved,
-seeded, and chopped
2 ts Lemon juice
4 c  Chicken stock
Pistou:
2    Cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 c  Minced fresh basil
4 ts Finely chopped walnuts
2 ts Parmesan cheese
4 ts Olive oil
1/2 md Sized tomato, peeled,
-seeded, and chopped

To prepare the soup: In a medium-size saucepan, heat oil over low heat. Add
leeks and celery and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add cucumbers, lemon juice and stock. Bring to a
boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or
until cucumbers are tender. Cool slightly. To prepare Pistou: With a
mortar and pestle, mash together garlic, basil and walnuts to a paste. (you
can also use a bowl with a wooden spoon). Work in a little cheese and oil
and one-third of the tomato. Keep adding cheese, oil and tomato. The
mixture will not be a true emulsion but a barely fluid paste.

Transfer cucumber mixture to a food processor or blender and puree, in
batches, until smooth. Ladle soup into serving bowl. Pass the pistou.
Allow 1 tablespoon of pistou per serving to be placed in the center of the
bowl, then swirl into soup.

Enjoy David….

**>>April<<**