You might call this a coulis, which is the term for a purée of fruit and sugar. But I've added the fresh quartered strawberries, champagne, and sorbet, transforming it into a full-fledged soup. What I love about this dessert is it's really just a simple blend of several basic ingredients. Yet what could be more elegant than a strawberry soup with champagne? It's also a tremendously welcome refresher after a tantalizingly spicy meal.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened frozen strawberries, thawed (see Note)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
• 4 tablespoons finely sliced mint
• 2 pints lime sorbet
• 2 cups (1/2 bottle) champagne

Instructions

1. In a blender, purée the frozen strawberries. Pass through a sieve into a large mixing bowl to remove the seeds. Add the sugar and lemon juice and mix well.

2. Cut the fresh strawberries into quarters, add to the bowl, and mix well. Stir in the mint, then place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

3. To serve, divide the berry mixture evenly among 8 serving bowls. Add a scoop of the lime sorbet to each bowl, and top each with chilled champagne at the table.

Note: As an alternative, you could use ripe fresh strawberries to make the purée. Simply wash and trim, then pass the strawberries through a food mill, and proceed with the recipe.

Other Berry Recipes

Berry Clafoutis
Blueberry Cobbler
Flambéed Cherries
Gratin of Berries
Mixed Berry Salad
Raspberry Tart

Tip

Dressing Up Sorbets