Two Melon Soup Recipes

TWO-TONE MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Slice, deseed & peel melons, then cut them into chunks, placing each melon in separate bowls.
• In a blender puree cantaloupe, then pour back into its bowl.
• Repeat for the honeydew, keeping each pureed melon separate.
• Stir 2 to 4 teaspoons of lime juice into each puree.
• Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
• To serve, pour some of each puree into a separate measuring cup, then SIMULTANEOUSLY pour each measured amount into opposite sides of the same wide soup bowl. DO NOT MIX.
• If desired, add a little yogurt to center of each bowl & swirl it a little between the two purees!

MIX-AND-MATCH MELON SOUP

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree honeydew, lime juice, moscato, mint, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate.
• Rinse out food-processor bowl. In food processor, puree cantaloupe, creme fraiche, honey, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. Both soups can be made 24 hours in advance.
• To serve soups, divide three-fourths of the honeydew soup among four soup bowls, and divide three-fourths of the cantaloupe soup among four other soup bowls. Garnish each serving of honeydew soup with remaining cantaloupe soup, and each serving of cantaloupe soup with remaining honeydew soup. Serve immediately.

MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Season the chicken and pork roast with salt and pepper. Place the meat in a large stock pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Pour water ver the chicken and pork roast (about 3 to 4 quarts).
• In a double piece of cheesecloth (about 4 inches by 4 inches) place 2 garlic halves, 3 bay leaves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. Using a piece of twine, tie the cheesecloth closed, forming a pouch. This is called a bouquet garni. Place the garni in the stock pot and cover. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken and pork are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any scum that has risen to the top.
• Remove the chicken and pork from the pot. Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the carcass. Slice the chicken and pork meat into 1/4-inch slices. Set the meat aside. Strain and reserve the liquid. Season the reserved liquid with salt and pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 2 inches off the top of the melon and reserve the top. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds of the melon and discard. Using the sharp knife, cut away as much of the melons flesh as possible, but still leaving the whole melon intact. Try to cut pieces that are about 1-inch in thickness. Cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces. Place the melon in the stock pot and cover with the reserved liquid.
• Make another bouquet with the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Place the garni in the melon and cover with the reserved melon top. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for about 1 hour.
• Carefully remove the top of the melon and add the chicken, pork meat and reserved melon pieces, replace cover, and continue to cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the melon is tender. Add the parsley. Carefully remove the melon from the pot, using two large spiders. Place the melon in a large decorative bowl. Ladle the remaining liquid from the pot into the melon and around the melon. Serve the soup hot.
• Season the chicken and pork roast with salt and pepper. Place the meat in a large stock pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Pour water ver the chicken and pork roast (about 3 to 4 quarts).
• In a double piece of cheesecloth (about 4 inches by 4 inches) place 2 garlic halves, 3 bay leaves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. Using a piece of twine, tie the cheesecloth closed, forming a pouch. This is called a bouquet garni. Place the garni in the stock pot and cover. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken and pork are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any scum that has risen to the top.
• Remove the chicken and pork from the pot. Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the carcass. Slice the chicken and pork meat into 1/4-inch slices. Set the meat aside. Strain and reserve the liquid. Season the reserved liquid with salt and pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 2 inches off the top of the melon and reserve the top. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds of the melon and discard. Using the sharp knife, cut away as much of the melons flesh as possible, but still leaving the whole melon intact. Try to cut pieces that are about 1-inch in thickness. Cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces. Place the melon in the stock pot and cover with the reserved liquid.
• Make another bouquet with the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Place the garni in the melon and cover with the reserved melon top. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for about 1 hour.
• Carefully remove the top of the melon and add the chicken, pork meat and reserved melon pieces, replace cover, and continue to cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the melon is tender. Add the parsley. Carefully remove the melon from the pot, using two large spiders. Place the melon in a large decorative bowl. Ladle the remaining liquid from the pot into the melon and around the melon. Serve the soup hot.
• Season the chicken and pork roast with salt and pepper. Place the meat in a large stock pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Pour water ver the chicken and pork roast (about 3 to 4 quarts).
• In a double piece of cheesecloth (about 4 inches by 4 inches) place 2 garlic halves, 3 bay leaves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. Using a piece of twine, tie the cheesecloth closed, forming a pouch. This is called a bouquet garni. Place the garni in the stock pot and cover. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken and pork are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any scum that has risen to the top.
• Remove the chicken and pork from the pot. Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the carcass. Slice the chicken and pork meat into 1/4-inch slices. Set the meat aside. Strain and reserve the liquid. Season the reserved liquid with salt and pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 2 inches off the top of the melon and reserve the top. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds of the melon and discard. Using the sharp knife, cut away as much of the melons flesh as possible, but still leaving the whole melon intact. Try to cut pieces that are about 1-inch in thickness. Cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces. Place the melon in the stock pot and cover with the reserved liquid.
• Make another bouquet with the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Place the garni in the melon and cover with the reserved melon top. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for about 1 hour.
• Carefully remove the top of the melon and add the chicken, pork meat and reserved melon pieces, replace cover, and continue to cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the melon is tender. Add the parsley. Carefully remove the melon from the pot, using two large spiders. Place the melon in a large decorative bowl. Ladle the remaining liquid from the pot into the melon and around the melon. Serve the soup hot.

TWO-MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the cantaloupe and honeydew melons in half; remove and discard the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out several chunks of each melon and reserve as garnish. Scoop out the remaining flesh of the cantaloupe and place it in the bowl of a food processor or blender, discarding the rind. Add 1/4 cup plum wine or lillet and a pinch of salt and process until very smooth. Transfer to a clean container or small pitcher and refrigerate until very cold. Repeat the process with the honeydew melon and refrigerate until very cold.

MELON SOUP

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.