MonkeyFood Ylimuulin apinanruokakeittiö ruokkii päätä ja häntää

Cucumbers have never been this delish!

I got this recipe from a college of mine, an occupational therapist that is, and she’s found it from a Finnish women’s magazine from the early 90’s when this recipe has been chosen as the best soup. And it is a winner! You’d never guess that something called “a cucumber soup” would taste so sophisticated and simply delicious. Even my soup hating Meat Eater liked this one.  And it just gets better when you re-heat it. It also has a Russian like feeling to it, probably due to the pickled cucumbers.

The original recipe calls for some sour cream (smetana) on top but I just replaced it with mayonese. Actually aioli, to be exact, since I added some garlic in it. You may use which ever product suits you best. Also, I subbed the basil with oregano and it was fine.

Getting intimate with the cucumber soup con aioli 😛

Anya’s Cucumber Soup

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 small cucumber
• 2 pickled or salted cucumbers (etikkakurkkua tai suolakurkkua)
• 5-6 white pepper or powdered white pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried basil (or oregano)
• 8 dl meat stock (make some yourself!)
• mayo, adding some garlic in it if you like (or sour cream)
• (fresh basil or oregano)

Cut the cucumbers and the onion into thin slices, chop the garlic. Melt the butter in a casserole and let the onions, cucumbers and spices cook for 10 minutes. Add the meat stock and let it slowly boil for 10 minutes more. You may then either add the sour cream/mayo in the soup or first take some soup on a plate and then add a splash or sour cream/mayo on top. Garnish with fresh herbs if you have some!

If you want to prepare the meat stock yourself, it’s very, very easy and quite cheap.

Meat Stock

• a junk of oxtail
• water
• salt

Let the oxtail slowly boil for some hours under a lid. Add salt. There you have it! Superior to any stock cubes.