Chilled Fresh Strawberry Soup

Ingredients

1 qt strawberries, washed and hulled
1½ cups water
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
⅔ cup heavy cream
⅛ tsp. salt (or to taste)
Dash cinnamon
½ cup sour cream (optional)

Method

Combine the strawberries, water, and sugar in a 3-quart saucepan. Cover and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat, remove the cover, and simmer, uncovered, until the berries are very soft - about 15 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor, then strain it through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove the majority of the seeds. Return it to the pan.

Stir the cornstarch, cream, salt, and cinnamon together in a small mixing bowl. Stir the cream mixture into the strawberry mixture and heat until the soup begins to simmer. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from the heat and chill for at least 2 hours. Top each serving with a small spoonful of sour cream.