Chilled Fruit Soup

When I asked my neighbor Ann for her recipe, she pulled from her kitchen bookshelf the volume Middle Eastern Cooking from the classic Time-Life Foods of the World series published in the 1960s. Its editors label this soup as an Israeli dish, a surprise to me, as it does not seem Middle Eastern or even particularly Mediterranean. Since the recipe makes even more than the 8 to12 servings indicated, I have pared it down to serve six.

To prepare it quickly, I buy cubed melon and frozen strawberries. Plus, the frozen berries cost less, and I prefer applying the difference toward fresh raspberries and blueberries to garnish the soup and add textural contrast.

This soup keeps for a few days, but usually separates. So whisk it vigorously before serving leftovers.

Chilled Fruit Soup with Berries
(Makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups diced ripe cantaloupe, about ½ melon
• 2 Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 cup green grapes
• ½ pound strawberries, halved, or ½ of a 10-ounce package frozen strawberries
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, for garnish
• 1 cup fresh raspberries, for garnish
• 12 mint leaves, cut crosswise into thin strips for garnish

Directions

1. In large saucepan, combine melon, apples, grapes, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Add water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until fruit is very soft, 12-15 minutes. Uncover and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
2. Transfer contents of pot to blender. Wrap dish towel around top of blender. Firmly pressing down blender lid, whirl soup until smooth. It will look creamy. Doing this in 2 batches may be necessary.
3. Pour soup into 1 large or 2 medium jars and let sit at room temperature until lukewarm. Refrigerate soup until well chilled, 6 hours to overnight. Just before serving, shake jar vigorously.
4. Divide soup among 6 wide, shallow bowls. For garnish, divide blueberries, raspberries, and mint among the bowls. Serve immediately.