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Chilled Blackberry Soup with Roasted Grapes, Pears, Strawberries and Blue Cheese

9/6/2024

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​If you're looking for a dish that embodies both elegance and a burst of fresh flavors, this Chilled Blackberry Soup with Roasted Grapes, Pears, Strawberries, and Blue Cheese is a must-try. The rich, velvety blackberry base is complemented by the sweet complexity of roasted grapes and pears, the juicy freshness of strawberries, and the tangy sharpness of blue cheese. Topped with a sprinkle of pistachios and fresh mint, this soup is not only a feast for the eyes but a delightful dance of flavors perfect for warm weather gatherings or a sophisticated starter.
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Chilled Blackberry Soup with Roasted Grapes, Pears, Strawberries and Blue Cheese
Yields 4 servings
 
Ingredients:
180 g green grapes

1 tsp virgin olive oil
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp fresh thyme leaves
80 g blackberries, plus extra to garnish
70 g (¼ cup) Greek yogurt
160ml (½ cup) buttermilk
½ tsp sugar
fresh strawberries, sliced but not all the ways through, for garnish
black or red grapes, for garnish
4 pears, sliced, for garnish
blue cheese cheese, for garnish
​pistachios, for garnish
fresh mint, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Get your green grapes and some of the red and black grapes, olive oil, balsamic and thyme leaves into a small ovenproof dish. Toss the ingredients to coat all the grapes, then bake for 30 minutes – stirring a couple of times during cooking.

​Set aside to cool before using.
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Put the blackberries, yogurt, buttermilk and sugar into a blender or processor and blitz until smooth. Alternatively use a stick blender. You can sieve the mixture if you like, but it isn’t necessary.

To assemble, spoon the smoothie into the base of 4 small serving dishes. Lay the sliced pears in the centre, then the strawberries.

​Arrange the grapes and blue cheese around (as much or as little as you want), then garnish with fresh berries, pears and pistachios.
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Chilled Strawberry Soup with Basil, Radishes, and Black Pepper

8/16/2024

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This Chilled Strawberry Soup takes the familiar flavors of strawberries and balances them with the peppery kick of black pepper, the fresh herbal notes of basil, and the crisp crunch of radishes.  It's perfect for warm weather -- light, refreshing, and versatile. 
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Did you know that chilled strawberry soup is a delightful twist on a classic European summer tradition?

Originating in Hungary, where fruit soups are a beloved way to beat the heat, this vibrant dish combines the sweetness of strawberries with a surprising kick of black pepper and the freshness of basil, creating a flavor profile that's both refreshing and unexpectedly sophisticated. 
I first had a chilled strawberry soup on a Carnival Cruise. It was so good (although the photo isn't that great due to the lighting in the dining room) that I had to re-create it at home. Below is that recipe.  
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Is Chilled Strawberry Soup Worth Making?

It’s a dish worth exploring when the temperatures rise, offering a cooling escape that’s both satisfying and sophisticated. Whether served as a unique starter or a refreshing dessert, this soup showcases how simple ingredients can come together to create a dish that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. 
Chilled Strawberry Soup with Basil, Radishes, and Black Pepper
Yields approximately 2 to 3 servings, depending on portion size

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt for a dairy-free option)
  • 1/2 cup cold water (or more for desired consistency)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus extra for garnish)
  • A pinch of salt
  • Basil leaves and sliced strawberries for garnish 
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Directions:

Blend the Soup Base
:
In a blender, combine the strawberries, chopped basil, honey, lemon juice, yogurt, water, black pepper, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the sweetness or acidity if needed by adding more honey or lemon juice.

Chill:
Pour the soup into a large bowl or individual serving bowls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the soup is well chilled.

​Prepare the Radishes:
While the soup is chilling, thinly slice the radishes. For extra crispiness, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Serve
:
Stir the soup before serving. Garnish each bowl with the sliced radishes, a sprinkle of black pepper, fresh basil leaves, and a few strawberry slices.

​Enjoy
:
Serve the soup cold as a refreshing starter or a light dessert on a warm day.
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Spicy Watermelon Soup

7/18/2023

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This spicy watermelon soup recipe is so refreshing for hot summer days! Easy to make, this chilled soup is a delicious blend of watermelon, cucumbers and radishes.
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This soup is perfect as an appetizer, a side with a sandwich or even a main course if you are wanting a light meal.
Video Transcript

​Hi, I'm Linda from www.LivingLinda.com and today I'm going to make spicy watermelon soup. 
00:10
So come along with me. 
00:12
OK, I have 1/4  of a watermelon that I got from my local store called Continente. 
00:18
It was about €1.24 for this. 
00:21

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I'm only gonna use about half of it for the watermelon soup, and then I'm going to use the other half to make watermelon juice. 
00:48
So I'm just going to cut this watermelon and then cut it into cubes. 
00:53
This watermelon actually has some seeds in it. 
00:57
I haven't found seedless watermelon here in Lisbon yet. 
01:07
I'll be picking out the seeds as I chop along. 
01:48
OK, to the bowl of cubed watermelon, I'm going to add the watermelon juice. 
01:55
And that was about the third of the watermelon that I put into the blender. 
02:03
Going to add about a tablespoon of lime juice. 
02:10
Then to make it spicy, I'm going to be using jalapeno. 
02:13
I don't have a fresh jalapeno, so I'm going to just use the dried jalapeno that I have. 
02:19
And I'm using about 1/4 of a teaspoon. 
02:22
You can use more or less depending on how spicy you like things, and then I'm going to add a dash of pepper. 
02:30
And then to this I'm also going to add some crunch, so I'm going to use cucumber and radishes today. 
02:38
You could also use jicama. 
02:41
So I'm just going to thinly slice this cucumber. 
02:47
I mean, sorry, this radish. 
02:51
And then chop it into quarters. 
02:56
And add it to my bowl. 
03:00
And the same thing for this cucumber. 
03:04
I'm only going to use about half. 
03:08
And I'm going to save the peels cause I'll make either cucumber juice or some sort of facial mask with honey and cucumber. 
03:35
Again, I'm just going to dice this. 
04:05
Now that everything is in the bowl, I'm just going to give it a good stir to mix everything up. 
04:22
And this is so nice to have on a hot summer's day. 
04:26
I've been craving this lately. 
04:28
So I have to go and get the watermelon so I could make it here today. 
04:36
OK, so I'm going to put it, excuse me, I'm going to put it in the refrigerator to set for a couple of hours so that all of the juices and flavors can meld together. 
04:47
And it's so delicious on a hot summer's day. 
04:50
I hope you try it and let me know if you do. ​
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Latvian Stew from Gentleman in Moscow

7/24/2022

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​**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links which help to keep this blog running.**
​When I read Amor Towles' "A Gentleman in Moscow a few months ago, I was quite taken with this line ~ Count observes: “The onions thoroughly caramelized, the pork slowly braised, and the apricots briefly stewed, the three ingredients come together in a sweet and smoky medley that simultaneously suggests the comfort of a snowed-in tavern and the jangle of a Gypsy tambourine.”
​
I looked it up and found out that it is called Latvian Stew. I was able to find a recipe on the internet on the Book Club Cookbook website.

Here's my version. I basically cut the recipe in half, omitted the prunes and added some herbs/seasonings. 
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Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup

4/10/2018

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Vietnamese crab and asparagus soup is a type of egg-drop soup often served on special occasions.
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I was introduced to this soup by my friend Le-Thu.  She made it for me while I was visiting her late last year.

​I love it so much I make it often and decided to share the recipe with you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup
Yields approximately 4 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fresh asparagus
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water
1 egg, well beaten
8 ounces cooked crab meat
several green onions, thinly sliced
1 radish, thinly sliced
red wine vinegar
Directions:
Trim the base of each asparagus stalk, or snap each stalk where it naturally breaks, and discard the bottoms. Diagonally cut the spears into approximately 1-inch pieces.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots and garlic begin to soften. 

Add the asparagus spears and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another two minutes. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Add it to the soup. While briskly stirring, drizzle in the egg. It should create petals and shreds in the swirling broth.

Add the crabmeat and stir. Continue to cook for another minute or two, until the crab is heated through.


Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with green onions, radish and red wine vinegar to taste.
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Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
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    Linda Roisum

    Traveller, chief taste-tester and food finder and retired expat living in Lisbon, Portugal.

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