The first cherries from Turkey are now in the shops and markets here... I got pounds and pounds of them, and found that some are getting a little too ripe, so I am making chilled cherry soup - just so I don't waste any of the delicious fruits! The Italian ones will be here any tick of the clock.. YUM - then the English ones. Can you tell I LOVE cherries? But, for medical reasons, I can only eat a handful at a time
300g dark red cherries, stoned
200ml stock syrup
zest of one lemon
3-4 leaves fresh lemon balm
To make stock syrup, slowly dissolve 250g caster sugar in 500ml water. When clear, add the zest and simmer for 5 minutes, then cool. Reserve half the cherries, and cut them in half if large. Roughly chop the rest. Bring the stock syrup to the boil and add the chopped cherries and lemon balm leaves. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about 15 minutes, then remove the lemon balm.
Blitz the fruit and syrup mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth, then pass through sieve into a bowl, rubbing through with the back of a ladle. Chill the soup.
300g dark red cherries, stoned
200ml stock syrup
zest of one lemon
3-4 leaves fresh lemon balm
To make stock syrup, slowly dissolve 250g caster sugar in 500ml water. When clear, add the zest and simmer for 5 minutes, then cool. Reserve half the cherries, and cut them in half if large. Roughly chop the rest. Bring the stock syrup to the boil and add the chopped cherries and lemon balm leaves. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about 15 minutes, then remove the lemon balm.
Blitz the fruit and syrup mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth, then pass through sieve into a bowl, rubbing through with the back of a ladle. Chill the soup.