Old-Fashioned Cold Cherry Soup
Hideg Meggyleves

To serve 6

Ingredients:
3 cups cold water OR Juice from canned tart cherries (add cold water to make 3 cups)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups pitted fresh tart cherries or drained canned tart cherries (reserve the juice)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup heavy cream, chilled
¾ cup dry red wine, chilled

Directions:
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water (or cherry juice/water mixture), sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil; add the cherries. Partly cover and simmer over low heat 35 to 40 minutes if the cherries are fresh, or 10 minutes if they are canned. Remove cinnamon stick.

Remove 1/3 cup of warm liquid from the cherry soup; pour into a separate bowl.  Whisk cornstarch into warm liquid; mix until thoroughly dissolved.   Pour cornstarch mixture into the soup; stirring constantly, bring the soup almost to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer about 2 minutes or until clear and slightly thickened. Pour into a shallow glass or stainless-steel bowl and refrigerate until chilled.  Right before serving, stir in cream and wine. Pour into soup bowls that have been pre-chilled.
 

Source: Dr. Miklos Faust [Nov. 22, 1988]