Chilled Fruit Soup

Name: Chilled Fruit Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb sweet cherries, pitted (frozen and defrosted is fine); 1 lb sour cherries, pitted (frozen and defrosted is fine); 2 cups cold water; 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 ¼ cup sour cream; 3 red or purple plums, diced

Total Time: 10 MIN ACTIVE + 1 HOUR INACTIVE

Recipe Journey

AustriaGörlitz, GermanyLES/Manhattan, New York City

Brooklyn, New York

Pastry chef Caroline Schiff learned to make this tangy-sweet chilled fruit soup from stories about her great-grandmother Ann. While Ann never made the soup the same way twice, it always involved stone fruit (for that delightful pink color) and it was always served cold.

Classically, the sugar-sweetened soup is enhanced with warm spices and brightened with lemon juice; Schiff’s ideal version, shared below, uses red wine vinegar for strong acidity and lets the fruit shine as the only sweetener. “As a pastry chef, I obviously love sugar, but I want that contrast between my meal and dessert,” Schiff explains. Top bowls of the magenta soup with dollops of sour cream and serve alongside sandwiches, pickles, and vinegar-doused salads for a refreshing summer lunch.

Ingredients

6 servings

1 lb sweet cherries, pitted (frozen and defrosted is fine)
1 lb sour cherries, pitted (frozen and defrosted is fine)
2 cups cold water
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ¼ cup sour cream
3 red or purple plums, diced

Preparation

Step 1

Reserve two small handfuls of cherries to garnish. Set aside. In a blender on high puree the cherries with the water until smooth as possible. Strain into a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Whisk in the vinegar, salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Whisk in the sour cream until fully incorporated.

Step 3

Chill the soup for at least one hour. Whisk again, and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 4

Portion chilled soup into bowls and garnish with some whole cherries and diced plums.

Step 5

Serve for a cool summer lunch with small sandwiches, pickles, salads, crusty bread, etc.

Meet the Family

Cold Fruit Soup Connects Caroline Schiff to Her Great-Grandmother

1 Recipe

The Home of Jewish Food

Ingredients

Preparation

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Meet the Family

Meet the Family

Cold Fruit Soup Connects Caroline Schiff to Her Great-Grandmother