Chilled Sour Cherry Soup

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This recipe is by Executive Chef, Andreas Sommerfeld, of the Holland American Cruise Line on the Oosterdam ship. The chef demonstrated this dish on our family's March 2007Mexican Riviera Cruise.

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Chilled Sour Cherry Soup

Recipe Type: Soup, Sour Cherries
Yields: 8 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

Fried Ginger (see recipe below)
2 pounds fresh or frozen sour cherries, pitted
1 cup water
Mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup black currant vinegar*

* Available from gourmet food stores. May substitute your favorite flavored vinegar.

Preparation:

Prepare Fried Ginger; set aside until ready to use.

Put cherries through a juicer, reserving both the juice and pulp separately.

In a small saucepan, combine water, mint leaves, and orange zest. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a non-reactive bowl. Stir in reserved cherry juice. Tasting as you go, slowly add the vinegar, stopping when a balanced flavor is reached. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

To Assemble: In a medium bowl, whisk in creme fraiche until somewhat lightened. With a rubber spatula, fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved cherry pulp. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

To Serve: Divide cherry creme fraiche, minted cherries, and fried ginger among chilled soup bowls. Gently ladle cherry soup around garnishes and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Fried Ginger:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup thin slices of fresh ginger
2 cups vegetable oil

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer; add ginger and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain ginger. Pat the ginger thoroughly dry on paper towels.

In the thick-bottomed pan or cast-iron skillet, heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees F. NOTE: A small piece of bread dropped in the hot oil should float to the surface almost immediately and brown within 45 seconds. Deep fry the dried ginger until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from hot oil and drain on paper towels; set aside.