Hideg meggyleves


Ingredients:
1 lb fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries
1 1/2 quarts water
1 cup sour cream
2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Decoration: whip cream, fresh cherries, slice of lemon, or peppermint leaves.

Preparation:

We’ll give you the basics, and you can take it from there, according to your own palate.

Bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to boil, and add sour cherries and granulated sugar. Stir and cook. In a separate bowl mix flour and sour cream; stir until smooth. Add cold water to make it runny enough to pour into boiling hot soup. Stir well and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes, until it thickens. Cover the soup and let cool.

Serve cold.

Variations:

• Cook a 1-inch stick of cinnamon with the cherries.
• Stir in 1 package of vanilla or fruit pudding powder.
• Substitute sweet cream for the sour cream.
• Add a little sherry or red wine.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon imitation rum extract.
• Add 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Add a few cloves.
• Grate some lemon peel into the soup.
• Replace cherries with, or add apples, raspberries, blackcurrants, rhubarb, or gooseberries.

In Hungary, this soup is generally served before the main course, but my American friends preferred to serve it as a dessert.

NOTE: You can add an extra tablespoon of flour to thicken more, and serve it as a main course, with deep fried or grilled lean meat on the side. Maybe even some mashed potatoes.

Whichever variation you choose, it’s a refreshing meal on a hot summer day.

Play with it, and Enjoy!