Chilled Minted Cucumber Honeydew Soup Recipes

CHILLED MELON, CUCUMBER AND MINT SALAD

Steps:

• Place the melons on a flat surface and split each one in half. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Use the larger-size scoop on a melon baller to scoop out the flesh. The goal is to tightly pack about 6 generous cups of melon flesh and then hollow the four melon halves out for presentation. Scrape the halves with a spoon to smooth the insides and gather additional flesh (and trap any juices) in a separate bowl until you have 1 heaping cup. Save the melon halves. Refrigerate the melon balls.
• Place the melon scraps and juices in a blender and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lime zest and juice and honey. Puree until smooth and taste for seasoning. Add more honey, if needed. Add a splash of water if more liquid is needed to make a smooth puree. Refrigerate.
• In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous amount of black pepper. Toss the melon balls with the dressing. Sprinkle the cucumbers and mint over the melon and mix a little. Fill the melon halves.

CHILLED CUCUMBER MINT SOUP

Steps:

• Cut one of the cucumbers into small dice, and set aside for garnish. Cut the others into large chunks. Combine cucumber chunks, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and water in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Add scallions and mint leaves, reserving some of the mint for garnish, and puree briefly. Season with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if a tarter flavor is desired.
• Chill until ready to serve. Stir well before serving, and ladle into bowls or mugs, garnishing each serving with a big spoonful of diced cucumber and a sprig of mint.

CHILLED COCONUT-HONEYDEW SOUP

Steps:

• Combine honeydew melon, coconut milk, honey, lime juice, cinnamon, and ginger in a blender; blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve chilled.

CHILLED MELON, CUCUMBER, AND MINT SOUP

Steps:

• Peel, halve, and seed 2 cucumbers, then coarsely chop. (You should have about 4 1/2 cups.) Halve and seed remaining (unpeeled) cucumber; cut into a 1/4-inch dice. Working in batches, puree chopped cucumbers, melon, 1/2 cup lime juice, mint, and ice in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and more lime juice. Transfer soup to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.
• Smear 1/4 cup yogurt onto two sides of each serving bowl. Spoon chilled soup into bowls, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with diced cucumbers and mint. Serve, with lime wedges.

CHILLED WATERMELON SOUP

Steps:

• Put 5 cups of diced watermelon in a food processor or blender and blitz to a purée. Strain purée through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. You should have about 4 cups purée. Season with salt and pepper and cayenne, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill bowl on ice or refrigerate.
• To serve, place remaining diced watermelon, honeydew melon and cucumber in a small mixing bowl. Toss with a little salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Divide mixture evenly into chilled soup bowls.
• Ladle watermelon purée into each bowl. Sprinkle with chives, basil and mint. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and flaky salt if desired. Pass lime wedges separately.