Chilled Cucumber Watermelon Soup Recipes

WATERMELON GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Set aside the reserved half of the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper and green onions and place the remaining half in a blender. Add the watermelon, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and jalapeño pepper, if using. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Pour into a large bowl (or small individual jars, as pictured) and stir in the reserved chopped vegetables.
• Chill for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
• Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with diced avocado and/or micro greens, if desired, before serving.

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.

CHILLED CUCUMBER-WATERMELON SOUP

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in saucepan.
• Bring to boil over medium high heat; stir in lime juice.
• Cool then chill.
• Working in batches, place watermelon in blender or food processor, cover and blend until smooth.
• Spoon off foam, if desired.
• Stir diced cucumber, and lime mixture into watermelon purée.
• Cover and refrigerate until cold.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

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.

WATERMELON AND CUCUMBER GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Puree 4 cups watermelon in blender until smooth.
• Transfer puree to large bowl.
• Add remaining 1 cup diced watermelon and next 10 ingredients; stir to combine.
• Cover gazpacho and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Divide gazpacho among bowls and top with dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream.
• Makes 4 servings.
• Bon Appétit.
• August 2005.