Lettuce Soup With Cucumber Croutons

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 scallions, white part only, finely sliced
• 8 new potatoes, peeled and diced
• 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 pound Boston lettuce, roughly chopped
• 13 to 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced chives
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan, and add scallions.
2. Saute until softened.
3. Add potatoes to pan, stir well, then add stock.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
5. Add the lettuce to the pan, and stir until it is wilted.
6. Remove from heat, and allow it to cool until no longer steaming.
7. Using a blender and, working in batches, puree soup until it is smooth.
8. Transfer to a serving bowl, and add 1/3 cup sour cream and salt to taste.
9. Stir until smooth, and adjust sour cream and salt as needed.
10. If soup is to be served chilled (it may be served at room temperature), cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
11. To serve, ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with chives and cucumber ''croutons.''

butter, scallions, potatoes, chicken, boston lettuce, sour cream, salt, chives, cucumber

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11000 (may not work)