This delicately flavored summer soup is surprisingly easy to make, and tastes delicious..

- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, thiny sliced
- 8 ounces boneless chicken breasts, finely chopped
- 3 lemons
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups dried spaghetti, broken into small pieces
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- salt and white pepper
- to garnish: fresh parsley spring, 3 lemon slices, halved

1. Melt the butter ia a large saucepan. Add the shallots, carrots, celery, and chicken and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
2. Thinly pare the lemons and blanch the lemon rind in boiling water for 3 minutes. Squeeze the juice from the lemons.
3. Add the lemon rind and juice to the pan, together with the chicken stock. Bring slowly to a boil over low heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the spaghetti to the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and white pepper and add the cream. Heat through, but do not allow the soup to boil or it will curdle.
5. Pour the soup into a tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the parsley and half lices of lemon, and serve at once.