Dovetail's Cucumber Vichyssoise

By Executive Chef & Owner John Fraser
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 4 cucumbers
  – 3 ½ cucumbers for the soup; ½ for the garnish
• 
  1 large leek (white and pale green parts only)
• 
  2 Yukon gold potatoes
• 
  1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 
  ½ cup crème fraiche
• 
  1 T Champagne wine vinegar
• 
  8 cups water
• 
  salt, to taste
• 
  ½ cup dill
• 
   1 smoked trout (purchased at the store) peel skins and bones and shredded
  

Procedure:

Peel and slice cucumbers.  Wash leek and slice. Peel and slice the
potatoes. Sweat the leeks and potatoes until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add
the cucumbers and cook just until soft, approximately 4 mins.  Cover with
water and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes.  Take off the heat and
add the crème fraiche.  Put the liquid mixture into a blender (or use an
immersion blender) and puree.  Season with salt to taste and champagne
wine vinegar.  Strain into an ice bath.  Chill overnight.
      

Peel and pick free of bones the smoked trout then cut into small pieces.
 Deseed and cut into small cubes half of a cucumber.  Garnish the
soup with smoked trout, cubed cucumber and chopped dill.  
 

Address: 103 W 77th St., nr. Columbus Ave.
Phone: (212) 362-3800