Good looking cherries are in the stores, and it is hot out. This is a good, refreshing dessert soup.
2 lbs cherries*
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/3 cups water
2 cups sweet rose wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated zest from 1 orange
Wash and pit all the cherries. Put aside a cup of the pitted cherries and a small handful of the pits. Crush the reserved pits with a hammer or meat tenderizer. They don't have to be crushed into little bitty pieces, well cracked will do. Tie the crushed pits the cloves and cinnamon stick in some cheesecloth. You don't have to use the cheesecloth, but if you don't then you have to strain the soup later.
In a pot on the stove combine the bag of pits and spices, the cherries (remember to save 1 cup), water, wine and sugar. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the cherries are very soft.
Put the cherries and 1 cup of the liquid in a food processor/blender. Puree.
Stir the pureed cherries back into the pot. Add the 1 cup of reserved cherries, orange juice, lemon juice and orange zest.
Simmer over low heat about 7-8 minutes until the cherries begin to soften and it just begins to boil.
Put in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Serve cold with a spoonful of sour cream.
*About the cherries. Sour cherries are the best, but just about any cherries will do. They should be fresh or frozen. You can use unsweetened canned cherries, I have, but it doesn't come out nearly as well. Do NOT be tempted to use cherry pie filling!
2 lbs cherries*
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/3 cups water
2 cups sweet rose wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated zest from 1 orange
Wash and pit all the cherries. Put aside a cup of the pitted cherries and a small handful of the pits. Crush the reserved pits with a hammer or meat tenderizer. They don't have to be crushed into little bitty pieces, well cracked will do. Tie the crushed pits the cloves and cinnamon stick in some cheesecloth. You don't have to use the cheesecloth, but if you don't then you have to strain the soup later.
In a pot on the stove combine the bag of pits and spices, the cherries (remember to save 1 cup), water, wine and sugar. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the cherries are very soft.
Put the cherries and 1 cup of the liquid in a food processor/blender. Puree.
Stir the pureed cherries back into the pot. Add the 1 cup of reserved cherries, orange juice, lemon juice and orange zest.
Simmer over low heat about 7-8 minutes until the cherries begin to soften and it just begins to boil.
Put in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Serve cold with a spoonful of sour cream.
*About the cherries. Sour cherries are the best, but just about any cherries will do. They should be fresh or frozen. You can use unsweetened canned cherries, I have, but it doesn't come out nearly as well. Do NOT be tempted to use cherry pie filling!
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