During the most recent heat wave that gripped the United States, we struggled to determine what to cook. Given the triple digit heat indices, we really wanted to avoid using the oven, which kicks off residual heat and would only hinder the monumental task our air conditioning unit was undertaking. On top of that, we didn’t really want to eat piping hot food. So, we set out to make something refreshing, and this is what we came up with! A Chilled Soup with the freshness of berries and mint!
The creaminess of the milk did a very nice job of tying the sweetness of the blueberries and the honey with the chilling freshness of the mint and the subtle licorice notes of the tarragon. The only thing I’d do differently next time is to hit everything with an immersion blender after cooking (as opposed to pureeing the blueberries before adding the milk) to improve the texture into a smoother, creamier consistency.
Time: 90 Minutes (most of which is chilling time)
Ingredients:
- Cream, Half and Half, or Milk (we used whole milk)
- Blueberries
- Mint Leaves
- Tarragon
- Lemon Zest
- Honey
- Butter
- Optional: Mint Leaves for Garnish
Method:
- Melt some butter in a saucepan.
- Slice your mint into thin ribbons, and add your mint and tarragon to the butter. Cook for a few minutes to unleash the aromatics.
- Add your blueberries and lemon zest, and cook until the blueberries turn mushy, and the skins start to break down.
- Drop the heat to low, and add your milk, cream, or half and half. Then, add a little bit of honey, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook down to about 1/2 of the original volume. Your soup’s color will darken noticeably as this happens.
- Puree with an immersion blender.
- Pour your soup into small bowls, and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
- Once cold, remove from the fridge, and top with your mint leaf garnish (if using).
- Devour, and enjoy!
