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Cucumber Soup, Eisenhower’s Fudge

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

DEAR SOS: The Velvet Turtle makes a wonderful cream of cucumber soup. Will they part with their recipe?

--DIANE

DEAR DIANE: Velvet Turtle’s cucumber soup recipe has been dear to Culinary SOS readers for years. Here’s the recipe once again.

VELVET TURTLE CUCUMBER SOUP

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 onion, chopped coarsely

1 cup chopped leek (white part only)

Butter or margarine

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons chicken seasoned stock

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

5 drops hot pepper sauce

Dash chopped fresh or dried dill

1/2 cup half and half, optional

Sour cream, optional

Set aside 1/2 cup diced cucumber. Saute onion, leek and remaining cucumber in 2 tablespoons butter until onion is transparent. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Add wine, water and chicken base and bring to boil. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small pan and blend in flour. Stir into onion mixture until blended. Simmer 1 hour.

Puree mixture in blender about 15 seconds, then strain through fine sieve. Add whipping cream, lemon juice, pepper sauce, dill and reserved diced cucumber. Cool soup completely, correct seasoning and add half and half if soup is too thick. Serve in chilled soup cups. If desired, add 1/2 teaspoon sour cream to each serving and garnish with lemon wedge and parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

176 calories; 366 mg sodium; 48 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.7 gram fiber.

DEAR SOS: Several years ago you ran a recipe for former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s Fudge. I lost my recipe and would love it back.

--MRS. R.D.C.

DEAR MRS. R.D.C.: An old favorite resurrected. Thanks for the memory.

MAMIE EISENHOWER’S FUDGE

4 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Dash salt

1 (13-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

3 (4-ounce) packages sweet cooking chocolate, broken

2 cups marshmallow cream

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine sugar, butter, salt and milk in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine chocolates, marshmallow cream and nuts in mixing bowl. Pour milk mixture over chocolate and beat until chocolate is melted.

Turn into well-greased 13x9-inch pan. Cool several hours or until firm. Cut into squares and store in airtight container. Makes about 5 pounds.

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Each 1-ounce serving contains about:

125 calories; 14.5 mg sodium; 2.2 mg cholesterol; 5.2 grams fat; 19.6 grams carbohydrates; 1.3 grams protein; 0.2 gram fiber.

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