CHILLED LETTUCE SOUP

Chilled Lettuce Soup image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories easy, weekday, soups and stews, appetizer, side dish

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, sliced
Salt
ground pepper
2 to 3 heads romaine lettuce, cut into thin ribbons
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 to 1 cup cream or half-and-half
Small croutons or crumbled bacon for garnish

Steps:

Put butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; when it melts, add onion and sweat for about 2 minutes or until it begins to soften; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add all but a couple of handfuls of the lettuce to the pan, reserving the rest for garnish, and cook until it wilts. Add stock, turn the heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil; lower heat to medium and cook until lettuce is very soft, about 5 minutes.
Put cooked lettuce in a blender and add 2 cups of ice water. Purée mixture until smooth, then put in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Once soup is chilled, add cream or half-and-half to taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finely chop reserved lettuce and put about 1/4 cup in each bowl and ladle soup on top. Garnish with croutons or bacon.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 239, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 24 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 1402 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams, TransFat 0 grams