Chilled Saskatoon Berry Soup: A Refreshing & Unique Summer Delight (Recipe Included!)
If you’ve never experienced the exquisite pleasure of a chilled fruit soup as a summer appetizer or dessert, you are truly missing out on a culinary gem! This Saskatoon berry soup, whether crafted with fresh or frozen berries, delivers the glorious taste of sweet summer in every silky, light, and fruity spoonful. The moment that first cool, vibrant flavor touches your palate, you’ll find yourself taking a deep, contented breath, allowing your body to relax as you savor each mouthful. It’s a wonderful, distinctive way to enjoy the unique charm of this incredible berry. And for those colder months, don’t forget that Saskatoon soup is also surprisingly comforting and delicious when served warm!
Summer marks a season of incredible abundance in nature’s garden. Everywhere you look, the earth generously offers its bounty – a kaleidoscope of berries, fruits, vibrant leaves, life-giving seeds, and nourishing roots. It often feels like a delightful challenge to keep up with the sheer volume of nature’s gifts. Our garden transforms into a lush, vibrant jungle, keeping me happily busy with canning, freezing, fermenting, and cooking. We strive to share generously, ensuring nothing goes to waste, though I must confess, our chickens also enjoy an array of gourmet extras this time of year! We’ve been basking in a glorious heat wave, making the earlier rainy start to summer feel like a distant, refreshing memory. Here in the north, growth may be slower to begin, but once it takes hold, it explodes almost overnight. Color, verdant growth, and ripening harvests are everywhere, painting a truly wonderful picture of natural splendor.
This year, our Saskatoon bushes exceeded all expectations. After a few years of heavy pruning aimed at reviving them, we anticipated a modest crop. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, something miraculous happened! Within the span of a single week, those tiny green berries swelled, ripened, and multiplied, transforming into abundant clusters of deep purple gems.
Just a few weeks ago, we enjoyed a delightful berry-picking adventure with our dear friends, Nicoletta and Loreto, from the wonderful blog ‘Sugar Love Spices’. Our day began with a lovely outdoor luncheon, where we served this light and incredibly refreshing chilled Saskatoon soup as the vibrant first course. A cold soup, for many, can be a delightful surprise. It’s the perfect bright start to awaken the taste buds without being overly heavy, paving the way for the delicious meal ahead. Indeed, a generous bowl of this fruit soup, accompanied by some good crusty bread and butter, can even serve as a satisfying and light lunch on a warm day.
There’s an undeniable charm in spooning a lightly sweet, exquisitely fruity soup. The distinct Saskatoon flavor shines through in the silky-smooth liquid, punctuated by the occasional pop of a whole berry, adding a delightful textural contrast. A swirl of cool, creamy yogurt introduces a perfect tangy balance, complementing the rich, complex notes of these unique berries beautifully. It’s a sensory experience that defines summer.
After our refreshing lunch enjoyed in the shade, we all eagerly headed out to the Saskatoon bushes. The afternoon was filled with joyous laughter, diligent picking, and many greedy mouths popping berries with stained fingers – a true sign of a successful harvest!
It was indeed a fun-filled and incredibly fruitful day, resulting in a bountiful harvest that promised many delicious meals and treats.
With our abundant harvest, I’ve already prepared delightful Saskatoon juice, classic pie, and even a delicious cake (recipe coming soon!). And of course, we’ve indulged in many more bowls of this wonderfully refreshing chilled soup, which has been a perfect way to keep cool and savor the flavors of summer during these hot days.
Saskatoons – A Unique Northern Superfruit
Saskatoons possess a truly special and distinct flavor that sets them apart from any other berry. Often likened to a blueberry in appearance, their taste is surprisingly complex and unique. They offer a delightful sweetness, richness, and a subtle blend of notes reminiscent of grape, almond, vanilla, and even a hint of rose. Despite their blueberry-like look, Saskatoons are botanically fascinating. They are actually related to apples and roses, belonging to the same order (Rosales) and family (Rosaceae). This lineage gives them a distinctive appearance, almost like tiny apples or rosehips, complete with a similar blossom end. Inside, they are packed with juicy pulp and numerous small, edible seeds, contributing to their unique texture.
Scientifically known as Amelanchier alnifolia, Saskatoons go by many delightful names, including serviceberry, juneberry, shadbush, chuckley pear, and pigeon berry. These resilient berries thrive naturally across much of western Canada and extend into the northwestern and north-central United States, preferring temperate climates. You can often find Saskatoon bushes flourishing in the forest understory, but they are equally at home in open areas, particularly on the prairies, where they line roadsides, ditches, and forest edges. Beyond their incredible taste, Saskatoons are also nutritional powerhouses. Their profile is remarkably similar to blueberries, boasting high levels of dietary fiber and an impressive concentration of polyphenols, flavonols, and anthocyanins. This makes them a healthy little superfruit, rich in antioxidants and beneficial compounds, truly a treasure of the northern landscape.
Chilled Saskatoon Soup – A Refreshing Tradition for Any Day
The delightful tradition of chilled fruit soups has deep roots in Scandinavian cuisine, where they are cherished for their refreshing qualities. I vividly recall taking a cooking class in Hungary years ago where we prepared a cold sour cherry soup as an appetizer, highlighting its popularity in Eastern European cooking as well. This chilled Saskatoon soup continues that wonderful tradition, offering a simple yet elegant dish that is surprisingly easy to make. For optimal flavor and chill, it’s best prepared the day before serving, allowing it ample time to cool completely. This makes it an ideal choice for entertaining, as a significant portion of the work is done in advance. In past summers, I would often prepare a large 2-liter jar of chilled fruit soup during particularly hot weeks, keeping it readily available in the fridge. It’s incredibly convenient to have this exquisite soup on hand, ready to serve as a sophisticated appetizer or a light dessert, especially on those days when you simply don’t feel like cooking.
The preparation process is straightforward and rewarding. Begin by gently cooking the fresh or frozen Saskatoon berries with water until they become tender and burst with flavor. Once cooked, set aside a handful of these beautiful whole berries to add back into the soup later, providing a lovely textural contrast. The remaining berries are then puréed by passing them through a food mill fitted with a fine disk. This step is crucial for achieving the soup’s signature silky texture, as it effectively removes the small seeds and skins, leaving behind a smooth, rich fruit pulp.
If you don’t own a food mill, don’t worry – you can achieve a similar result with a bit more effort. Simply push the cooked berries through a large-meshed sieve (not a fine-meshed one or a colander) using the back of a sturdy spoon. While it requires a little more elbow grease, this method works just as effectively to separate the rich pulp from the seeds and skins, ensuring your soup maintains its desired smooth consistency.
Once you have your smooth fruit purée, return it to the saucepan along with the previously reserved whole berries and any juice. At this point, you’ll add a touch of sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of the Saskatoons, balanced perfectly with bright lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to elevate the overall flavor profile. To achieve a lightly thickened, luscious consistency, the mixture is gently simmered with a cornstarch slurry. For an extra layer of aromatic complexity, I adore adding a hint of rosewater, which beautifully complements the subtle floral notes inherent in Saskatoons. However, a dash of vanilla extract also works wonderfully as an alternative. After a brief simmer, the soup is allowed to cool before being thoroughly chilled for at least 3 to 4 hours, ensuring it reaches its peak refreshing coolness. While this recipe highlights the chilled version, it’s worth noting that serving it warm on a cooler day is equally delightful and comforting. If you’re presenting this Saskatoon soup as an appetizer or a light lunch, a generous dollop of plain yogurt adds a marvelous creamy texture and a tangy counterpoint that truly completes the experience.
For an indulgent dessert experience, serving the Saskatoon soup with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream transforms it into a truly decadent treat that perfectly balances the fruit’s tart-sweetness with a luxurious richness.
While summertime is undoubtedly prime berry season, the beauty of this versatile soup recipe is that you can enjoy it throughout the entire year. By freezing or canning a stash of these delightful Saskatoons, you can effortlessly bring the taste of a sweet northern summer to your table, no matter the season.
More Saskatoon Berry Recipes to Explore
Discover the stunning Saskatoon & Peach Galette, a masterpiece created by Nicoletta.
Or delve into these other delectable Saskatoon berry recipes from our kitchen:
- Saskatoon Juice (And How to Easily Clean Your Saskatoon Berries)
- Saskatoon Roll or Saskatoon Cobbler (And How to Freeze Your Saskatoon Berries)
- Old Fashioned Saskatoon Pie
- Canned Saskatoons and Saskatoon-Peach Preserve
- Saskatoon Jelly
- Prairie Mess (Eton Mess with Saskatoons and Rhubarb)
- Saskatoon Pickle
- Gluten-Free Saskatoon Scones
- Saskatoon Muffins
- Saskatoon Slump
- Saskatoon Ice Cream Made with Homemade Saskatoon Jelly
- Pork Chops with Saskatoon and Green Apple Chutney
Guten Appetit!
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Chilled Saskatoon Soup
Margaret Bose Johnson
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Equipment
- food mill or large-meshed sieve
Ingredients
- 6 cups (900gms/2 lbs) saskatoon berries (can use fresh or frozen)
- 2¼ cups (540ml) water, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons (75gms) sugar preferably natural evaporated cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rosewater, optional or substitute with ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Place the Saskatoon berries in a medium-sized saucepan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (60ml) of the water with the cornstarch to create a slurry; set aside. Add the remaining 2 cups (480ml) of water to the Saskatoons in the saucepan.
- Bring the Saskatoon berries to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until berries are tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully scoop out 1 cup (250ml) of the cooked whole berries and set them aside for later.
- Pass the remaining cooked berries and their juice through a food mill fitted with a fine disk, allowing the purée to collect in a large bowl or directly back into the empty saucepan. (Do not clean the saucepan yet, as you will need it again shortly.) Ensure you scrape all the rich pulp from the bottom of the food mill and add it to the juice.
[*If a food mill is unavailable, you can achieve a smooth purée by pressing the berries through a large-meshed sieve (not a fine-meshed one, nor a colander) using the back of a sturdy spoon. This requires a little more time and physical effort but yields excellent results. Refer to the notes section below for more detailed instructions.]
- Measure the combined juice and pulp mixture. You should have a total of 3½ cups (840ml). If your yield is less, add water until you reach the desired amount. Return this mixture to the saucepan.
- Stir in the reserved whole berries, sugar, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice into the saucepan with the purée.
- Bring the soup mixture to a boil. Briefly re-stir the cornstarch slurry (which may have settled) and gradually pour it into the boiling soup. Continuously stir the soup with your other hand as you pour to prevent the cornstarch from clumping and ensure a smooth thickening.
- Boil the soup for 30 seconds, allowing it to thicken slightly. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the rosewater (if using).
- Allow the soup to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator. Chill thoroughly until cold, which will take at least 3 to 4 hours.
- Serve the chilled Saskatoon soup as a delightful appetizer, garnished with a dollop of plain yogurt in the center. Alternatively, present it as an elegant dessert with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
- This recipe generously serves 4 as an appetizer or 6 as a dessert.
Notes
For a comforting and delightful change of pace, particularly during the colder months, consider serving this soup warm. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the taste of summer and its vibrant berries, even when snow is on the ground. Pair it with either a dollop of yogurt or a scoop of ice cream for a unique hot treat.
*To effectively use a sieve as an alternative to a food mill for extracting the rich berry pulp: Position a large-meshed sieve (ensure it’s not a fine-meshed sieve, as this will impede the pulp, and certainly not a colander) over a sturdy bowl or the empty saucepan. Pour approximately ¼ of the hot, cooked Saskatoons and their juice into the sieve at a time. Using the back of a large spoon, firmly press down on the berries, working the spoon back and forth to push the maximum amount of pulp through the sieve. Once you’ve extracted as much pulp as possible from that batch, carefully scrape out and discard the remaining seeds and skins. Repeat this process with the subsequent batches of berries until all are processed. Remember to also scrape any accumulated pulp from the underside of the sieve and incorporate it into your collected juice and pulp mixture to ensure no flavor goes to waste.
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