Summer Soup

This one comes from Favourite Farmhouse Recipes: Traditional Country Fare, a small cookbook I picked up when we lived in England a few years ago. This can certainly be eaten during any season, but it uses up some of the plentiful green things that come from summer gardens. I've adjusted the measurements in the original recipe from British to American.

Two of my three children, including the toddler, really liked this for dinner last night. My oldest asked if I would make it again tonight. She'll have to settle for the leftovers, I suppose.

Summer Soup
2 T. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
6-8 pieces of bacon, chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 head of green leaf lettuce, cleaned and shredded
1/3 cup + 1 T. flour
salt & pepper
Pinch of mixed herbs
1 ½ cups chicken or ham stock
1 ½ cups milk

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add bacon and cook until nearly crisp. Add the onion, cucumber and potato. Slowly sauté until onion is soft. Add the lettuce; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and salt & pepper and mix well. Add the herbs and stock. When it thickens, add the milk and simmer gently until the potato is cooked. Put in a blender and process until smooth, then return to the pan; or use an immersion blender. Heat through and serve.