WARM CUCUMBER SOUP WITH SCALLOP AND SOLE MOUSSELINES

Warm Cucumber Soup with Scallop and Sole Mousselines image

Yield Makes 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 large seedless cucumbers (usually plastic-wrapped; 3 pounds total), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 small russet (baking) potato (1/4 pound)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 celery rib, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 (3-inch) fresh thyme sprig
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Scallop and sole mousselines
Garnish: thinly sliced smoked sablefish (black cod); fresh chives or fresh dill sprigs

Steps:

Cook cucumbers in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, just until water returns to a boil, about 1 minute, then immediately drain in a colander and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain cucumbers well, then purée in 2 batches in a blender until as smooth as possible, about 1 minute, transferring to a bowl.
Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme in butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add potato, 4 cups water, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, partially covered, until potato is very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf and thyme.
Purée mixture in batches in blender until very smooth, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl. Chill, uncovered, until completely cool, about 30 minutes.
Stir cucumber purée into potato purée and force soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids.
Stir remaining teaspoon salt into soup, then reheat in a bowl in a microwave or in a saucepan on stovetop over low heat (microwaving is best because it preserves the soup's bright green color). Put 1 mousseline in each of 10 shallow soup bowls and pour warm soup around each.