Cold Melon Soup With Tarragon And Dry Sherry Recipes

Steps:

• Place melon cubes, lemon juice, white sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree for 1 minute. Then add the mint and yogurt and puree another 1 minute. While pureeing, add the grappa. Transfer the puree to a glass pitcher. Refrigerate. Serve with crostini bread sticks wrapped in prosciutto to enhance the soup's sweet flavors.

Steps:

• Put half of the cantaloupe into a blender along with the yogurt and blend until smooth. Add the remaining cantaloupe and blend again until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the orange juice, honey, nutmeg, salt and cayenne and blend until well mixed. Pour into a soup tureen and chill at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs before setting out.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Place a large pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and melt to coat the bottom of the pot. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and celery is softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the heat low enough so that the butter does not burn and onion does not brown or caramelize. Add garlic; cook and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in salt, white pepper, tarragon, and cayenne.
• Meanwhile, place a medium pot over very low heat. Add milk and chicken broth and allow to warm slowly. Do not allow to boil or scald.
• Stir flour into the vegetable mixture until no dry flour remains. Pour in all but 1 cup of the warm liquid and bring to a low simmer.
• Whisk cornstarch into the remaining cup of liquid until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the vegetables. Stir in sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until warm throughout and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Blend half of the soup in the bowl of a food processor or blender, then add back into the pot and serve.

Steps:

• Split melons in half, root end down. Put juice and seeds in a fine sieve set over a bowl. There should be about 1/3 cup of juice. Set aside.
• Using a melon-ball scoop, cut out 12 balls from each melon half. Set aside. Using a large spoon, remove remaining flesh, and place it in the container of a blender. Add reserved juice and sherry. Puree until very fine. Place mixture in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, stack 12 melon balls in the center of each of four soup plates, forming a pyramid. Divide soup evenly around melon balls. Place a sprig of tarragon on top. Chop remaining tarragon, and sprinkle around edges of soup.