Grandma's Prune Soup

This is old-country cooking at its most comforting. Prunes simmered in water until soft, then thickened with a sour cream and flour slurry into a velvety, sweet-tart soup that straddles the line between dessert and meal.

The technique here matters. Gradually whisking the flour into the sour cream before adding any hot liquid prevents lumps. Tempering the mixture with a cup of the prune cooking liquid before returning it to the pot keeps the sour cream from curdling when it hits the heat.

If you’ve never had fruit soup, this might sound strange. But one spoonful of that creamy, slightly tangy broth with tender prune pieces and you’ll understand why grandmothers have been making this for generations.

Kitchen Tips

• Whip the flour into the sour cream until completely smooth. Any lumps at this stage become permanent lumps in the finished soup.
• Stir constantly while bringing the thickened soup back to a boil. The flour needs to reach a full boil to cook out the raw taste and activate its thickening power.
• Use a wooden spoon rather than a whisk for the final heating. You want to stir gently without breaking the prunes apart.
• Serve warm, not scalding hot. The flavors open up more at a moderate temperature.

Variations

• Add a cinnamon stick while the prunes cook for a warm spice note.
• Stir in a splash of lemon juice at the end to brighten the sweet-tart balance.
• Serve chilled in summer as a cold fruit soup with a dollop of extra sour cream on top.