Equipment
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 500 g rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and diced
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 250 ml water
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 50 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
Aromatics and Spices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- ½ vanilla bean, split down the middle
- 2 orange peel, wide strips of zest
Garnish
- 100 g creme fraiche, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 286 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 49 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 41 g
- Sodium
- 18 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 15 mg
- Potassium
- 508 mg
- Calcium
- 156 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 28 mg
- Phosphorus
- 55 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 264 g
- Alcohol
- 7 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium saucepan, combine the dry red wine, water, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange peel strips, cinnamon stick, star anise, and split vanilla bean. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, reaching 100°C or 212°F.
Add the diced rhubarb to the boiling liquid. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rhubarb is completely tender and falling apart.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully pick out and discard the cinnamon stick, star anise, orange peel strips, and vanilla bean pod.
Transfer the hot mixture to a blender and carefully puree until completely smooth. Use caution when blending hot liquids, keeping the lid slightly vented.
Pass the pureed soup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean storage bowl to ensure a silky texture. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator at 4°C or 39°F for at least 4 hours until thoroughly cold.
Ladle the cold soup into chilled serving bowls. Garnish each portion with a generous spoonful of cold creme fraiche just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Select field-grown red rhubarb over hothouse varieties if available, as it imparts a deeper, more vibrant ruby color to the finished soup.
- A fruity, medium-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Grenache complements the tart rhubarb without overwhelming the delicate flavor with heavy tannins.
- For the smoothest texture, ensure you blend the soup while it is still warm before passing it through the fine mesh strainer.
- If serving specifically as a savory appetizer rather than dessert, reduce the sugar to 100g and add a pinch of flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper to the creme fraiche garnish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent absorbing other flavors.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without the creme fraiche garnish.
Troubleshooting
Soup tastes excessively tart or sour.
Cause: Natural variations in rhubarb acidity depending on harvest time and variety.
Fix: Whisk in simple syrup or agave nectar one teaspoon at a time until the flavor is balanced.
Prevention: Taste the soup immediately after blending before chilling to gauge sweetness levels.
Soup has a fibrous or grainy texture.
Cause: Skipping the fine mesh straining step or using very mature, woody rhubarb stalks.
Fix: Pass the soup through the fine mesh strainer a second time, pressing gently with a ladle.
Prevention: Always strain the soup and peel any extremely thick, late-season rhubarb stalks before dicing.
Cultural Context
Fruit soups, or fruktsoppa, have a long-standing tradition in Scandinavian and Northern European cuisines, serving as a thrifty and delicious way to preserve the intense summer harvests. Rhubarb, being one of the first edible plants to awaken in spring, is widely celebrated in these preparations. By incorporating red wine and warm baking spices, this version elevates the rustic farmhouse dish into a sophisticated offering suitable for modern dining.
