I think I watch to much Top Chef. Seriously I don't know how I come up with concoctions. The vegetable/fruit box arrived and had a bunch of pears and apricots. Mansi at Fun and Food suggested I enter her Monthly Mingle dedicated to Appetizers .The limitations were that it had to be vegetarian. No meat, but dairy was allowed. I got to thinking of the high end la de da Caterers I moonlight for on occasion. Their clientele include some rooster of gazzilionaries, who I have had the opportunity to meet.You name them ,I have served them. Chef always has innovative nibbles for the too thin and rich crowd. He liked to offer up 'Shooters' . These are often a semi sweet concoction non alcoholic concoction served up in shot glasses. The possibilities are endless. He even had raw oysters in some Yuzo suspension once. Then I got thinking of Hungary of all places, and their chilled fruit soups. All of this thinking is done in front of my computer screen at work ,as strange people call and email me from all over the world and I try to speak broken French to them make out their accents. So I brilliantly devised a quick, easy, healthy,refreshing recipe to be served chilled in shot glasses to your guests on your grand estate overlooking the Lake while you discuss polo, St. Barts, the moving of your money to other favorable currencies, etc.I did add a touch of liquor as Hungarian fruit soups often have their sweet wines. I used a liqueur I found in Sweden called XANTE( pear and cognac). But you could use Cointreau. I garnished with little slivers of Danish Rosenberg Blue Cheese.
Chilled Pear and Watercress Soup
3 pears
1 cup of chopped Honeydew Melon
1 teaspoon ground Cardamon
1 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup Raw Agave Nectar( you could use sugar, I'm just keeping it healthy)
1 bunch of watercress
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons of Xante or other fruit flavored liquor.
Blue Cheese for Garnish.
Peel and core the pears.Put in a saucepan with the water, cardamon, Raw Blue Agave Nectar.Bring to a boil. You want the fruit to soften but not get to soft.Place the melon,washed watercress leaves,and pears and their liquid in the Blender of food prcoccesar. In a bowl , add your yogurt. Pour your whipped fruit/watercress mixture in and blend.Add 2 tablespoons of Xante. Mix until all is Incorporated. Chill covered for 1-2 hours.Serve in bowls or shot glasses for entertaining. Garnish with Blue Cheese slivers.
Makes approx 4-5 bowls and estimated 40-50 shot glasses.Can be prepared ahead.
25 comments:
Wow, you really are a creative diva!
what a fancy shot.. or soup? interesting combo. Hey love your pic. soooo sexy :-)
Love it! They served something similar at my raw foods class on Tuesday. This is going to make a great appetizer for an outdoor dinner party I am planning. Thanks for the inspiration!
OMG I love it girl!! this is simply superb! what a great mix of flavors, and the liquer twist with greek yogurt sounds awesome!:) Thanks so much for sending this to MM!:)
That soup looks very good! What a wonderful combination of ingredients!
Cheers,
Rosa
what a gorgeous idea!! i already saw a similar recipe of watercress cold soup on my magazine last week, but the touch of your chilled pear gives that elegant touch!!i just simply love it!
Amazing combo you have here, I love pear and blue cheese, but the watercress is an interesting twist.
Girl, your mind is wired in the most unusual way but then again, that's the reason you can come up with these creations. The pairing is so cool and the presentation in the stemware is elegance.
One day, when the Coco cook book comes out, I'm first in line. :)
This would be just as innovative a nibble as anything for the too thin and rich crowd Glamah:D
Wow - this is so unusual and creative! When I first read the titole I wasn't too sure it was my kinda thing, but by the end of the recipe, oh yes baby!!
Especially loving the blue cheese garnish - nice touch!
Oh the soup shots are so sexy, but as I'm neither thin nor rich, I'd like a whole bowl please! It looks fabulous!
This truly IS beautiful sophistication, Courtney! I love it! I could totally see this being served at some uber fancy dinner party! Way to rock it!
Even though I don't often have the opportunity to discuss polo, St. Barts or moving my money to other favorable currencies, I love the idea of these little appetizers. They do look mighty sophisticated!
That is so elegant looking! What a creative mind you have...I struggle to feed to kids and you are creating very sexy looking apps!
Wow. If it spikes *this* kind of creativity, I say keep watching Top Chef! (Because even when they don't inspire you, it's fun to watch them whine).
Wow, this is really exciting Chef Glamah!
This sounds really good. Nice touch with the Xante!
Yum! I love the soup in a shot-glass theme. Still haven't found the perfect glass, but that will change. Have you visited Swirlz yet? I hadn't heard about it before cakespy's post, and now I'm just. so. curious.
Courtney
you, my friend, are amazing. I love it.
You have been watching too much Top Chef! Me too.
This sounds like a winning combo to me. I recently tried watercress for the first time and really liked it.
Simply amazing! What do you think you could sub for the melon, though? My DH is allergic...
WHoa, it's like there's a party in my mouth and everyone's invited! I love melon, love pears with blue cheese, it all sounds really inventive!
Elegant, creative, gorgeous presentation! You never fail to amaze me!!
Just love this combo coco and it really does look stunning!!
Rosie x
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