by JSCooks
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my 6 recipes »
Photo by JSCooks
A&M's Testing Notes:
Expand CollapseJSCooks's Notes:
Expand4 cups water Ask a question about this ingredient
2/3 cups granulated sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
A few twists of black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
2 pounds firm-ripe plums, pitted and coarsely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 sprig lemon verbena, about 4 inches long, or a 4-inch strip of lemon zest Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons crème de cassis or other berry liqueur (optional) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche, or Greek-style whole milk yogurt, for serving Ask a question about this ingredient
4 sprigs (small) mint or lemon verbena, for garnish Ask a question about this ingredient
Put the water, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the plums, bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is very soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepRemove from the heat and stir in the 4-inch lemon verbena sprig or strip of lemon zest. Let cool for about 20 minutes, tasting occasionally and removing the lemon verbena (or zest) when its flavor has perfumed the soup to your liking. It should be a delicate background note, not a predominant flavor.
Ask a question about this stepPuree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, standard blender, or food processor. Stir in the liqueur if using it, and the lemon zest and juice. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, about 4 hours or up to 4 days.
Ask a question about this stepLadle the chilled soup into shallow bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a mint sprig.
Ask a question about this stepChezSuzanne -- thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm so glad you enjoyed the soup. It's a personal favorite. Time to put in a lemon verbena plant in your garden or window -- it's such a versatile herb, and really does contribute lemon-y as well as herbal flavor. Of course, creme fraiche improves pretty much everything it touches. :)
Well as luck would have it, a friend just gifted me with a lemon verbena plant :-). But you're right, creme fraiche improves pretty much everything! I'm looking forward to making this soup again.
Thanks to all who thought this looked worth trying -- I hope you will -- it's so easy!
This looks very good.
I just saved this one!!! It sounds delicious and is beautiful!
Thanks, Sagegreen. I look forward to checking yours out, as well.
Lovely presentation! I also did a series of cold soup recipes for the cherry theme and froze them as well for desserts. I did a stone fruit recipe for this without puree. I love the chunkiness of the fruits for a rustic version. But you have captured the elegance here.
Carol is a gluten-free chef and food blogger currently cooking her way through the Alinea Cookbook.
JSCooks-the one thing I forgot to mention in my review of this wonderful soup is that adding the creme fraiche or sour cream at the end really adds something special to the soup. I used creme fraiche because I always seem to have it hanging out in my frig waiting for something special.