Fleur De Sel Melon Soup With Chamomile Sorbet Recipes

CHILLED MELON AND MINT SOUP

Steps:

• 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.

POT AU CHOCOLAT WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Bring the whipping cream and milk to a boil in a saucepan over low heat. The second it starts to boil, take it off the heat. Add the chocolate shavings and whisk until smooth. In another bowl, mix together the yolks, brown sugar, and cayenne. Slowly spoon the chocolate mixture into the yolks. Cook's Note: It is important to take your time with this step because the chocolate is hot, and if you dump it into the eggs in one shot you'll end up with chocolate scrambled eggs.
• Pour the mixture into little pots or espresso cups and cover with foil. Pierce some small holes in the foil so steam can escape and place the jars into a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with water halfway up the sides of the jars so that they bake evenly. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool the pots on the counter for 35 minutes and then put them in the refrigerator for 3 hours to chill. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve.

POMEGRANATE AND MINT SORBET

Steps:

• Special equipment: an ice cream maker
• In a glass pitcher, combine the Mint Simple Syrup, pomegranate juice, and orange juice. Pour the pomegranate mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last 10 minutes of freezing time, add the mini chocolate chips.
• Scoop the sorbet into dessert bowls and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
• Mint Simple Syrup
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and mint leaves over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes. Strain before using.
• Yield: 1 cup

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then brush the paper lightly with oil, allowing the paper to drape over 2 sides.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches diameter * 4 1/2 inches deep), stir together 1/4 cup water with the sugar, and corn syrup, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown color. Don't stir - just swirl the pan to mix. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly at the end!
• In the meantime, in a small pan, bring the cream, butter, and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat, and set aside.
• When the sugar mixture is a warm golden color, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful! It will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours until firm.
• When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet in half. Starting with the long end, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8 inch log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with fleur de sel, trim the ends, and cut each log in 8 pieces. Cut glacene or parchment papers into squares and wrap each caramel in a paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

TROPICAL WATERMELON SORBET

Steps:

• In a blender, blend the watermelon, pineapple juice, ginger ale, lime juice, and grenadine until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze, according to the manufacturer's instructions, for about 35 minutes.
• Spoon into glasses or small bowls and serve.

SARATOGA'S FAMOUS MELON AND PROSCUITTO

Steps:

• Layout on the edge of a plate, 3 or 4 baby lettuce leaves. Over the lettuce lay out 2 thin wedges of cantaloupe and drape 2 to 3 slices of proscuitto over the melon. Garnish with berry syrup.
• Combine the berries and the red wine in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let cook for about twenty minutes and adjust the flavor with sugar if necessary to achieve a balanced flavor. Combine some arrowroot with a little cold water and stir into the sauce to give it a nice shine and a little body. Let cool.

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.