A summer staple so quick and easy to prepare. Mint does bring even more fresh hint to this soup, tastier served chilled. Great to sip with a drink in shot glasses before dinner or as first course.
A delicious way of starting a meal on hot days in spring or summer is to serve a chilled soup. This recipe can also be served before dinner at apéro (the French for the pre-dinner drink freindly moment), in individual small cups or glasses (even shot glasses) that we call verrines in French.
France produces lots of cantaloupe melons. We tend to like those sweet melons with a nice bright orange color. They are sweeter that american muskmelons (if you use those in this recipe, you may want to add honey or agave syrup). The French eat lots of melons in summer (the most famous are Charantais or from South France Cavaillon), mainly served : at appetizers often cubed to grab; as first course in many ways but mainly sliced with smoched ham or cut in half with Porto red wine inside the seeds hole, or in cold soups like this recipe; and also as dessert in fruit salad, ice-cream…
Chilled Melon and Mint Soup
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 melon ripe cantaloupe melon peeled and seeded
- 3 to 4 sprigs mint eventually a mix of mint & basil
Optionnal according to your taste
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- dry white wine
- Pastis French anise alcohol
- Porto
- salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Start by peeling melon and removing seeds. Roughly chop melon into chunks. Remove mint leaves from sprigs. Put aside about 20 leaves for serving.
- Place melon and mint into a food processor and puree until smooth. Not with a too high speed though otherwize soup will whiten.
- Adjust seasoning and sweetness by adding, according to your taste, lemon juice or alcohool (white wine, Porto or Pastis). Add 1 or 2 pinches of salt and some pepper.
- Chill in the refrigerator before serving. Serve chilled with a dash of olive oil and fresh mint leaves neatly arranged.
Bon appétit !
