When life gives you cherries, make cold soup!

I have this terrible habit of buying visually captivating produce at the farmers’ market that I have no idea what I’ll do with when I get home. A few weeks ago I picked up a bunch of spectacularly orange beets. I don’t necessarily like (or dislike) beets. But they were beautiful. A week earlier it was garlic scapes (they are slender, fragrant, and they curl in the most graceful way). This week it was tart cherries, with their vibrant rosy flesh and glossy, slightly transparent skins that give them the appearance of precious jewels.

See what I mean?

Into my basket they went. I actually love tart cherries, but they are time consuming to prepare and don’t have many applications outside of pies, crisps, or jams—none of which was really ringing my bell. Then I remembered a soup I had in Budapest called Meggy Leves. Cold Sour Cherry Soup. It was one of my first experiments with Hungarian cuisine and it was amazing.

I’m recreating it today with the addition of a couple of non-traditional ingredients that I think will harmonize nicely: cardamom and fresh ginger.

Here’s what you need:

1 quart of fresh tart cherries (about 1½ pounds), pitted
3 cups water
½ cup sugar of raw sugar (please don’t use refined)
1 cinnamon stick (about 2”)
6 whole cardamom pods, slightly cracked, but not enough to release the seeds

1 small (about 1”) piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 thick slice of lemon peel
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup semi-dry Riesling
Juice of half a lemon

½ cup sour cream

Here’s what to do:

1. Combine the cherries, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger, lemon peel, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger, and lemon peel. Let the soup cool for a bit. (I’ve learned the hard way that putting hot anything in a blender has always messy, sometimes painful outcomes. Just be patient.)
3. Reserve one cup of cherries and set aside. Pour the remaining soup in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain and return to the pot.
4. Whisk in sour cream until combined, then stir in the fresh lemon juice and wine. (I don’t drink much Riesling, so I picked up a bottle with the most interesting label. It had to be this one.)
   
   

   

   Pick me, indeed. Well, that worked!

5. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the reserved cherries to the pot. 
6. Cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.