Spiced Strawberry Soup

I posted this recipe a very long time ago on the Taste Of Home recipe board. I also have it printed out and it's somewhere in my pile of recipes. I finally made it and I smack myself for not making it sooner.

I wanted to make something without tons of sugar. This calls for 1/2 cup but I didn't use it. I added about 10 of those tiny packs of equal. Next time I'll try honey.

I didn't use black pepper, I added 1/4 tsp of cayenne.

The title to this recipe is-Spiced Strawberry Soup with Mint Cream and Choco-Nut Crisps.Recipe adapted from HERE

I need to plant some mint in our Florida yard and I didn't want to make the Choco- Nut Crisps. Once you get me started on nuts or chocolate I would of eaten more than I should so I didn't make them. Next time.

2 lbs. strawberries, hulled, 1.5 pounds coarsely chopped, 1/2 pound chopped
1/2 cup sugar( I used 10 packages of equal)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
Black Pepper (more or less to taste, I had mine kind of spicy)( I added 1/4 tsp of cayenne)
1 Teaspoon Orange zest
1/2 Teaspoon grated Fresh Ginger
1/2 Cup Orange Juice( the only oranges I had were blood oranges and squeezed 1/2 C from them)
1 Cup Water


4 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Mint Leaves.
1/2 Cup Almonds, Toasted & Roughly Crushed
1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

I put 1/2 pound of chopped strawberries to the side.

Combined the 1.5 strawberries with the orange juice,  water, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, sugar, orange zest, ginger & the mint leaves in a pan.( didn't add the mint)

Put the  pan on the stove & simmer the strawberry mixture for about 25 minutes, till the strawberry releases  the juice. The mix will get slightly thick, the strawberries will be limp. The liquid should not get thick & syrupy.

Make an ice bath for the mixture in the pot. Chill and stir for about 10 minutes. Strain and remove the cinnamon stick.

It should  have a nice consistency

Prepare the Cream:

1. Process the Sugar & the Mint Leaves to form something like a thick, coarse paste. I used a rolling pin & crushed everything together.. It was easy & took only a couple of minutes.
2. Add this to the Yogurt, & whisk till it combines well & the yogurt is creamy & smooth. Chill.

Prepare the Crisps:

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (or on a water bath if you prefer). Stir in all the roughly crushed Almonds, but about 11/2 Tablespoons.

Put a sheet of parchment paper on a plate. Spread out thinly the Chocolate & the Nut mix. I spread it out in a rough uneven circle, like a very thin cookie. Sprinkle the rest of the crushed Almonds on this & lightly press with the back of the spoon. Put it in the refrigerator till the chocolate hardens..

This is so good and will now be on the top of my to make strawberry recipes.

Featured 7/15/16  on Pieced Pastimes