Cooking Class: featuring SOUR CREAM & BUTTERMILK

SOUP:

Chilled Borsch

Set out a large bowl.
Drain 1 (16 oz) can whole beets, reserving the liquid in the bowl.

Put reserved liquid into the bowl and add
2 3/4 cups cold water
Stir in
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt

Put drained beets through a coarse sieve or food mill into the liquid mixture, cover and put into refrigerator to chill. Serve in chilled bowls topped with tablespoons of
Thick sour cream

**********
Cream of Tomato Soup

In a saucepan combine
2 1/4 cups canned tomato juice
1 stalk celery with leaves, cut crosswise into quarters
1/2 small onion, sliced
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 bay leaf
6 whole cloves
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Few grains white pepper

Bring to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain tomato juice mixture. Add it very slowly to Sour Cream White Sauce, stirring constantly and vigorously with a wooden spoon; do not boil.
Serve immediate, if desired, drop on top of each serving a teaspoonful of Whipped Sour Cream Topping.

**********

Sour Cream White Sauce

In saucepan over low heat add
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
Blend in
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
a few grains of pepper
Heat until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat.
Add gradually, stirring in
3/4 cup milk
Cook rapidly, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
Stirring vigorously, add in very small amounts
3/4 cup thick sour cream
Cook 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly until sauce is just heated. Serve at once.

Savory Sour Cream Sauce

Follow above recipe; add 1 Tbsp grated onion, 1/2 tsp dry mustard and 1/8 tsp marjoram to the butter. Substitute 3/4 cup broth for the milk.