Chilled Melon Soup With Toasted Almonds Recipes

COOL MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Set a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl. Press tofu through strainer into bowl. Stir in white soy sauce. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD:Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
• Set a medium-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Halve melons horizontally. Scrape seeds, strings, and juices from center of each melon half into strainer. Press lightly on mixture in strainer to release juices. Discard solids in strainer. Reserve juices.
• Using a small melon baller, scoop out 18 balls from 1 melon half. Place melon balls in a small bowl; season lightly with sea salt and vinegar and gently toss. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain; transfer to a small bowl and reserve.
• Meanwhile, cut rind from remaining 3 melon halves and cut flesh into 2" pieces. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes. Cut a parchment-paper round just large enough to cover surface of soup in pot. Add melon pieces with reserved juices to pot. Cover pot with parchment-paper round. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until melon is soft but not mushy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into melon reads 150°, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain soup. Season to taste with sea salt. Cover and chill, along with serving bowls, until cold, about 4 hours.
• Ladle soup into chilled bowls. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoons of the tofu mixture into center. Top with a few toasted almonds and 3 melon balls. Drizzle almond oil over and garnish with fresh herbs.

CHILLED MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Place the orange juice, yogurt and cantaloupe in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Add the honey, salt, nutmeg and cayenne; cover and process until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with mint sprigs.

CHILLED MELON SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Place the melon, lime juice, jalapenos, yogurt, 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper in a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the almonds in a bowl and toss with the water and then with the remaining salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Divide the soup among 4 bowls. Top with the almonds and mint and serve immediately.

CANTALOUPE AND ALMOND MILK SOUP

Steps:

• In a shallow baking pan toast the unblanched almonds in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are aromatic, and transfer them to a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups water and blend the mixture until the almonds are ground fine. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing hard on the solids, discard the solids, and return the almond milk to the blender, cleaned. Add the cantaloupe, the honey, the lime juice, and a pinch of salt and blend the mixture until it is smooth. Transfer the soup to a bowl and chill it for 1 hour, or until it is cold. Divide the soup among chilled bowls, and garnish it with the sliced almonds and the lime slices.

COLD MELON SOUP

Steps:

• In a blender container, combine honeydew, lime juice, and honey. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add yogurt.
• Beat with a fork or wire whisk until blended.
• Chill several hours.
• Serve cold.
• Whisk before serving and garnish each bowl with a few melon balls.
• NOTE: chilling time not included with prep time.