This light soup of lettuce, cucumber, and fresh spring peas was quite common in nineteenth-century America. Potage maigre translates loosely as “fast day” soup, traditionally made for Lent. Versions of it appear in old Creole cookbooks.
Recipe information
Yield
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the celery and continue to sauté until the onions are golden.
Step 2
Add the celery leaves, lettuce, broth, and water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat.
Step 3
Add the peas and cucumber. Adjust the consistency with additional water if the soup is too dense. Stir in the parsley and dill, then season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Serve at once, or allow to cool to room temperature to serve. Either way, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Step 5
Per serving:
Step 6
Calories: 85
Step 7
Total fat: 5g
Step 8
Protein: 3g
Step 9
Fiber: 3g
Step 10
Carbohydrate: 9g
Step 11
Cholesterol: 0mg
Step 12
Sodium: 77mg
