Rhubarb Soup with Berries

A great Summer dessert soup from the CBS Saturday Early Show! The prep time does not include time to chill the soup.

• Ready In: 28 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8  stalks rhubarb
• 4  cups water
• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  orange, grated for zest
• 2  cinnamon sticks
• 1  pint vanilla ice cream
• 6  strawberries, cut very thin crosswise
• 1⁄2 cup blueberries, sliced
• 2  tablespoons mint leaves, torn
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Directions

1. Wash 7 rhubarb stalks, peel away any tough exterior, trim the ends and cut the stalks into chunks.
2. Combine the rhubarb pieces, water, sugar, orange zest and cinnamon in a saucepot, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Cook until the rhubarb is falling apart, 8 to 12 minutes.
4. Note: There is a very small window where the rhubarb goes from tender to mush; keep testing the fruit by piercing it with a sharp knife, and as soon as it penetrates, remove it from the heat.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the contents to a shatter-proof container.
6. Refrigerate the soup until cold.
7. When chilled, discard the cinnamon.
8. If you have a juicer, put the remaining rhubarb stalk in and process to release its juice.
9. Otherwise, you can substitute 1 Tbsp of lemon juice for the rhubarb juice.
10. Strain and add the juice to the chilled soup.
11. Serve the soup in four chilled dessert bowls, with a scoop of ice cream, a few berries and some mint.
12. This recipe can also be made dairy-free by using soy ice cream!