Spiced Mango Soup with Strawberry Basil Sorbet

Perfect for a light, sweet lunch. The cool mango soup is slightly spiced with ginger and red chilies. It's the perfect backdrop for the sweet-tart strawberry sorbet that has been kissed with small flecks of fresh basil that serenely appear and vanish in your mouth.

It's an easy recipe, and a perfect chance to use some of that fresh Farmer's Market produce you might happen to have lying about.

Strawberry Basil Sorbet
serves 2-4

What You'll Need...
1 lb. of strawberries
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon of fresh basil or Thai basil

What You'll Do...
1) Hull and chop the strawberries, puree.

2) Push the strawberry puree through a strainer. Add the lemon juice, sugar, and water and whisk. Chill for an hour, then pour into the ice cream maker and proceed following the manufacturer's directions.

3) Roughly mince the basil, add to the ice cream maker when there are only 5 minutes left of churning.

4) Serve right away or place in the freezer to set up in a tightly sealed container.


Spiced Mango Soup
serves 2-4

What You'll Need...
1 cup of plain yogurt
2 mangoes
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
1 red chili pepper (or jalapeno)

What You'll Do...
1) Grate the ginger. Devein and seed the chili pepper. Cut the pepper in half length wise. Dice 1/2 of the pepper and save the other half for salsa or what have you. Cut the mango and dice.

2) Blend all the ingredients together with an immersion blender/blender/food processor. Chill for 30 minutes.

3) Strain the soup through a strainer if you so desire. Ladle into bowls, then place a scoop of strawberry basil sorbet in and serve.