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Hideg meggyleves
Hungarian chilled sour cherry soup
Hideg meggyleves is a chilled sour cherry soup served as a starter in Hungary at the height of summer, from family lunches in the cherry-growing villages around Pest county to the terraces of Balaton restaurants. Sour cherries simmer briefly with sugar, cinnamon and cloves, then the soup is thickened with sour cream and served icy cold, pink and gently tangy. Some cooks add a splash of red wine for grown-ups. It is eaten before the main course, not as dessert, though no one complains if you have it after. Chef's tip: chill it for at least 3 hours; the flavour rounds out and the spices soften as it cools. A common mistake is boiling it after the cream goes in, which curdles it.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 3 ¼ cups water, 3 ½ oz sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, 1 strip lemon zest and 1 pinch salt in a pot and bring to the boil over a medium heat.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb sour cherries (morello) and simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the cherries are soft but still whole and the liquid is deep red. Lift out the cinnamon, cloves and zest.
5 minStep 3: Whisk ¾ cup sour cream (20%) with 1 tbsp cornflour until smooth, then whisk in a ladle of the hot liquid to temper it.
Step 4: Stir the cream mixture into the pot over a low heat and keep stirring for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly and turns a soft pink; it should just steam and barely bubble. Add ½ cup red wine if using and taste for sugar.
3 minStep 5: Cool, then chill for at least 3 hours, until very cold. Serve in chilled bowls with a swirl of 4 tbsp whipping cream.
180 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hideg meggyleves take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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