I received a cook book from my neighbors when my husband and I were stationed on Adak Island in the Aleutians when he was in the Navy over 25 years ago. It was authored by a retired trooper who was a father to six kids and cost $5.95. Mixed in with the recipes that incorporate Alaskan ingredients are the stories behind them. Stories that make you laugh out loud to accompany recipes that will make you head straight for the kitchen. It is dog-eared, and the binding is taped from being used so many times. The best compliment that could be made to its author!
From Gordon Nelson’s Lowbush Moose (and Other Alaskan Recipes)
3 or 4 servings
2 cups celery, diced
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
Salt and black pepper
2 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup milk or cream
¼ pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Sauté the celery in a little butter or olive oil until tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the flour, mixing until smooth. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the chicken broth and with some salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Mix the egg yolks into the milk or cream and add to the mixture. Return to the stove and simmer 10 minutes.
Add the cheese and stir over medium heat until the cheese blends into the mixture. Add the cooked celery, stir and serve. A dash of hot pepper sauce or cayenne will give this soup a nice little kick!
Bon appétit!
