The bizarre 1960s soup that united JFK and J. Edgar Hoover at lunch

A simple dinner recipe once became a favourite of two powerful American figures: President John F. Kennedy and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Known as Purée Mongol Soup, the dish had no ties to Mongolia but instead traced back to a late 19th-century French-inspired creation called Purée Mongole. Kennedy often enjoyed it as part of his regular lunch menu, alongside New England Fish Chowder.

The recipe for Purée Mongol Soup was straightforward and convenient. It involved mixing and heating a can of condensed pea soup, a can of condensed tomato soup, milk, water, and a dash of curry powder. The dish was typically finished with a dollop of sour cream on top.

The soup's name likely came from Purée Mongole, a creamy split pea and tomato recipe popular in the 1800s. Despite its exotic-sounding title, the dish had no connection to Mongolian cooking. Instead, it was a simple, hearty option that could be quickly prepared.

Kennedy's fondness for the soup was well-documented, and it even appeared in Linda Bauer's 2010 cookbook Capitol Hill Cooks. The author of a modern adaptation tested store-bought alternatives like Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Soup and Amy's Organic Cream of Tomato. They suggested adding crunchy toppings or tweaking the seasoning to improve the flavour.

Purée Mongol Soup remains a quirky piece of culinary history, linked to two prominent mid-20th-century leaders. The recipe's simplicity and ease of preparation made it a practical choice for busy schedules. Today, it can still be recreated with basic pantry ingredients and a few modern adjustments.