Chilled Pear Soup

Don't you think of September as an autumn month? Yet we get awfully hot days sometimes. September can be psychotic. Chilled pear soup is a great way to ease out of summer and into fall.

Chilled Pear Soup

3 large ripe pears, about 4 cups chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 to 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup half and half

1/3 cup apple juice

Quarter and peel pears. Put butter in a cool skillet and place on medium high heat. While butter melts, roughly chop pears. Add pears and ginger to hot butter. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl. Puree pears using a hand held blender. Stir in buttermilk, half and half, and juice. Cover tightly and chill for several hours. Garnish with raspberries or pomegranate seeds if desired.

Hints: I like to use Bartlett or Red pears. Be sure to use a skillet that is fairly wide so that the pears saute rather than boil in the butter, although once the juices come out of the pears, they will be boiling a bit. Use fresh buttermilk not dehydrated. White grape juice can be used instead of apple juice.  

I created this recipe after having Chilled Pear Soup at Windows on the Square. (Wow! that was a while ago!) It was fabulous-- delicate, creamy, not too sweet or tart. It took me several attempts to get close. I hope you like this one as much as I do.