Bisque Is Lower in Fat But Still Rich in Flavor

DEAR JEANNE: Could you please revise this recipe? Thank you.

--TERI, Cottage Grove, Minn.

JARLSBERG VEGETABLE BISQUE

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg yolk

1 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cups shredded Jarlsberg cheese

Melt butter in heavy pan. Add flour and cook several minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and gradually blend in broth. Return pan to heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly.

Add broccoli, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Combine egg yolk and cream in separate bowl. Gradually blend in several tablespoons of soup mixture, then slowly add egg and cream mixture to soup. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Very gradually blend in cheese. Makes 6 servings.

DEAR TERI: I replaced the butter with margarine, and used less of it. Evaporated skim milk substitutes for the cream, and an egg white works just as well as an egg yolk to help thicken this soup.

Since a lot of the fat, and therefore calories, comes from the cheese, I decided to try making this soup with a low-fat Swiss cheese instead of the Jarlsberg. It worked beautifully and tastes just as good.

This soup is sure to be a winner with the approach of cooler weather. I hope you like my Swiss Vegetable Bisque.

--JEANNE

SWISS VEGETABLE BISQUE

1 tablespoon corn-oil margarine

3 tablespoons unbleached flour

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli

3/4 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup evaporated skim milk

1 egg white

4 ounces low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded

Melt margarine in large heavy pan over low heat. Add flour and cook several minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gradually blend in stock. Return to heat and bring to boil, stirring.

Add broccoli, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to boiling stock mixture. Simmer 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Combine milk and egg white and slowly blend in several tablespoons of soup. Gradually pour milk mixture into soup, stirring constantly. Simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened. Gradually stir in cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Each (1 cup) serving contains approximately:

Original Recipe:

Calories: 357

Cholesterol: 131 mg

Fat: 31 gm

Sodium: 405 mg

Revised Recipe:

Calories: 140

Cholesterol: 12 mg

Fat: 5 gm

Sodium: 271 mg