Shared by Caroline Schiff
Shared by Caroline Schiff
Chilled Fruit Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Chilled Fruit Soup
Yield: 6 servingsFamily Journey
AustriaGörlitz, GermanyLES/Manhattan, New York City
Brooklyn, New York
Caroline Schiff, the Executive Pastry Chef at Gage & Tollner in Brooklyn, 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
- 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.
