Puree of Cucumbers

Peel the cucumbers and suppress the seeds; weigh two pounds of them after they are pared, blanch them for a few minutes in boiling, salted water, drain well, mince and fry them in four ounces of butter, then moisten with sufficient stock (No. 189), to cover, and let them cook and reduce until all the broth is absorbed. Pound them in a mortar adding a pint of very thick bechamel (No. 409), press through the sieve and heat the puree, adding two ounces of fine butter just before serving.