Recipes by Jean Seberg: Cucumber Soup; Midwestern Lemon Meringue Pie

Jean Seberg's Cucumber Soup

3 medium-sized cucumbers
1/4 cup minced green onion
3 tbsps. butter
Two 10 1/2-oz. cans chicken broth
1 cup liquid (water, milk or dry white wine)
Salt and white pepper to taste
2 tsps. minced fresh (or good pinch dried) dill
1 cup commercial sour cream
Minced fresh chives (or parsley)

1. Peel washed cucumbers; grate on coarse side of a grater. Put cucumber in saucepan (or skillet) with onion and butter. Stew until barely tender. Put through sieve (or electric blender), set aside.

2. To sieved cucumbers add chicken broth (undiluted), liquid (water, milk or wine), salt and white pepper to taste. Mix well. Add dill, pour soup into jar. Cover and refrigerate several hours to chill well

3. Taste to correct seasonings. Pour soup into soup plates. Garnish with generous dollops of sour cream and chives (or parsley). Serve at once with rye or pumpernickel bread and sweet butter. Serves 4-6.

Jean Seberg's Midwestern Lemon Meringue Pie 

For the crust:
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shortening
scant 1/4 cup ice water

Mix salt and flour together in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into salt-flour mixture with pastry blender (or with two knives) until even lumps the size of peas are formed.

Gradually add ice water to bowl tossing flour mixture lightly with a fork adding just enough liquid to form a mass. With fingers, gather dough into a ball, handling as little as possible. Wrap dough tightly in wax paper; chill until ready to to use.

Roll crust out on a lightly floured board (or pastry cloth) stretching to an even thickness.

Line a 9-inch pie dish with crust. Cut off with scissors allowing one-half inch hangover for the crust. Flute the crust, pressing with the fingers. Prick crust before baking in preheated 425 degrees F. oven until golden (about 10 mins).

For the filling:
3 1/2 tbsps. cornstarch
3 1/2 tbsps. flour
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
4 egg yolks
2 tbsps. grated lemon rind
scant 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsps. melted butter

Sift together cornstarch, flour, salt and sugar into top of a double boiler. Gradually stir in boiling water, cook over direct heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils. Set over boiling water, cook, covered about 20 mins. (or until thick and smooth), stir often.

Beat egg yolks slightly, add lemon rind, lemon juice and melted butter, blend well. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Cook in double boiler until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Cool, but do not chill.

Pour custard into baked pie shell. Top with meringue.

For the meringue:
4 egg whites
scant 1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt

Beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly. Pile meringue lightly to cover filling and crust. Bake in preheated 425 degrees F. oven until golden. Chill well before serving.