Strawberry Soup with Blueberry Pickles

Strawberry Soup
Serve this soup for a cool and refreshing strawberries pureed into a soup with blueberry pickles to add a surprising flavor burst. You can use either at the beginning or end of a meal.
Makes 1 pint

8 ounces ripe fragrant strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pink sparkling wine like Mums
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup plain full fat European style yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
Blueberry pickles (see recipe)

1.Rinse and crown the strawberries and place in a blender container. Add the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, sparkling wine, and salt. Blend for about one minute in the blender until it is very smooth.

2.Pour soup through a fine sieve and strain into a bowl. Chill until you are ready to serve.

3.Mix the yogurt and honey together and refrigerate until needed. (This makes more than you will need reserve the rest for a bowl of berries.)

4.To serve place the strawberry soup in a serving bowl or cup. I like to use tall thin glasses. Add a swirl of the sweetened yogurt and top with blueberry pickles.

Blueberry Pickles
Pickled blueberries are fast and easy to make. Make them the day before you need them they will last about a week in the refrigerator. They make a surprisingly delicious addition to your dishes. Use them to accompany roast and grilled meats like chicken and pork. You can also add them to a dessert or serve with pate instead of cornichons.
Makes 1 pint

8 ounces blueberries
4 ounces (½ cup) rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 spent vanilla bean (optional)*
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns

1.In a small sauce pan place the vinegar, salt, salt, water, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. When the sugar and salt have dissolved remove from heat.

2.Rinse blue berries and pat dry. Place the blueberries in a sterilized pint jar.

3.Pour the cooked vinegar mixture over the berries and refrigerate for 24 hours before enjoying. They will last about 2 weeks unless you eat them all in one go!

*A spent vanilla bean is one that was previously used and the beans have been scraped from it. You could substitute a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.