Summer

Chilled cherry summer soup

by:
June 21, 2010
4.5
4 Ratings
Chilled cherry summer soup
  • Serves 2-3
Author Notes

My Hungarian grandmother made a wonderful sweet cherry soup that she cooked (Hideg meggyleves). She was more used to sour cherries, so I wonder if that is why she used so much sugar. I am looking for a version that does not use sugar and one I do not have to cook. I made this last week for a first course. My company really liked it. This is my cocktail version, but it can also be made without alcohol. A nondairy version could substitute 1/2 cup of almond milk instead of yogurt. —Sagegreen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved
  • 2 large white peaches, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or creme fraiche
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of Saigon cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon kirschwasser, optional
  • dolup of creme fraiche or Greek yogurt, optional
  • lemon verbena or mint leaf for garnish
Directions
  1. Put everything but the garnishes (reserving 1 teaspoon of cumin for garnish) into a blender and process.
  2. Chill.
  3. Garnish with creme fraiche (or Greek yogurt) if you like, a sprig of herb, a sprinkle of cumin, and it's ready to serve. This version is really easy and quick. I like both the fresh taste and the beautiful color.
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10 Reviews

boulangere
boulangere June 29, 2011
How beautiful!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 29, 2011
Thanks, b...got my writing done today, but am now one handed for a bit after a bad cut on a mandolin...so will be on holiday from cooking for a bit! Loving all your wonderful recipes!
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice June 29, 2011
Wow! This sounds tasty. And that color is to die for!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 29, 2011
Thanks, f&s.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 10, 2010
So glad you loved it! I just had cherry soup in Budapest today!
 
theoutcrop
theoutcrop July 6, 2010
i am going to try this soup - i've been searching for a similar recipe for strawberries but i just bought a bag of cherries so this may be the perfect way to use them.

for your picture, i would try a tripod,and turn off the flash - and set up a cheap reflector (using just a garage light aimed on a piece of white poster board to reflect light back down to your food - or, setting it up near a window so that it gets some natural light - or, actually moving your food outside into the shade!) when you do the tripod, you can have it aimed directly down over your food. you'll have to have it tall enough and so that you can focus on your subject - that will depend on your lens. my camera actually has a food setting (nikon D5000) but i haven't used it, though. i always use my manual setting and my manual focus (ok, sometimes i use my auto focus just for good measure!)

thanks for posting this recipe, it looks delish, and good luck with the photography!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 6, 2010
Thanks! I am actually en route to Hungary and will arrive there Wed! I have an Olympus fe that I am trying out. Do adjust the seasonings to your taste. Hope you like the soup.
 
theoutcrop
theoutcrop July 8, 2010
i made it and i LOVED it! the color was as spectacular as it was in your picture! thanks again!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2010
Many thanks. I love working with color, as well as the taste. This week while I am taking a break from work, I am also experimenting with my camera. If there is a short photography course somewhere about shooting food, that would be really fun to consider. I have never photographed my food before, much less measured or recorded anything.
 
Aliwaks
Aliwaks June 21, 2010
Spectacular color!!!!!