Fiction-Food Café: Raspberry Soup

(Originally posted March 2015 for Fiction Kitchen Podcast Episode 10.)

"Butler Lee, this soup is awesome!" Says Gu Jun Pyo, minutes before his older sister pushes his face into it for being his usual jerky self. Yes, it's a good thing it was cold soup.
("Boys Over Flowers", Korean version, episode 7)

Raspberry Soup

4 Cups Fresh Raspberries + a couple set aside for garnish
1/2 Cup + 1/4 Cup Cranberry Juice
1/2 Cup Sugar + more to taste
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt + a little more for garnish
Pinch of Salt
A Few Leaves Fresh Mint
Small Amount of Milk

In a blender or food processor, pulse the raspberries, 1/2 cup of cranberry juice, & 1/2 cup of sugar until the raspberries are broken down & blended but the seeds are still intact. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl & pour the raspberry mixture in. Use a spoon or spatula to stir the mixture around to help with the staining process. Once much of the mixture has strained through & you've got a thicker mess of seeds & pulp, pour the 1/4 cup of cranberry juice into the strainer & stir again to help get as much of the raspberry mixture out, leaving the seeds behind.

Rinse out the blender or food processor & then pour the strained contents of the bowl into it. Add the cup of yogurt & blend until thoroughly combined. If you'd like to add a little more sugar to taste, do so now. Throw away the seeds from the strainer & then rinse it out. To serve, hold the strainer over the serving bowl & pour your desired quantity of soup through the strainer & into the bowl (pouring through the strainer helps to diminish the bubbles).

To add garnish, cut 1 raspberry in half per bowl of soup (I used kitchen scissors for this) & float the 2 halves, cut sides down, in the center of the soup with 2 small, fresh mint leaves. Spoon a little bit of yogurt into a small bowl & stir in some milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, pipe-able consistency. Scoop this mixture into a baggie & snip off a corner to make a small opening. Pipe a design onto the surface of the soup; swirls or dashes or dots, etc., optionally using a toothpick to add details (I made a ring of dashes & gently dragged a toothpick through them to create the heart/leaf effect). Serve the soup, enjoy, and dunk your obnoxious brother's face in it!