Melon Chiller Recipes

CHILLED MELON, CUCUMBER AND MINT SALAD

Steps:

• Place the melons on a flat surface and split each one in half. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Use the larger-size scoop on a melon baller to scoop out the flesh. The goal is to tightly pack about 6 generous cups of melon flesh and then hollow the four melon halves out for presentation. Scrape the halves with a spoon to smooth the insides and gather additional flesh (and trap any juices) in a separate bowl until you have 1 heaping cup. Save the melon halves. Refrigerate the melon balls.
• Place the melon scraps and juices in a blender and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lime zest and juice and honey. Puree until smooth and taste for seasoning. Add more honey, if needed. Add a splash of water if more liquid is needed to make a smooth puree. Refrigerate.
• In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous amount of black pepper. Toss the melon balls with the dressing. Sprinkle the cucumbers and mint over the melon and mix a little. Fill the melon halves.

MELON AND GINGER SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the whole melon into 8 wedges and the half into 4, and set aside two of the wedges. Remove the remaining melon from the rinds, and chop coarsely. Puree until smooth in a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the lime zest and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, the salt, buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of the ginger juice, and the agave syrup. Taste and add the remaining ginger juice if desired. Cut the remaining wedges of melon into very small dice and place in a separate bowl. Chill the soup and diced melon for at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, toss the diced melon with the mint and remaining lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the melon and mint, and serve.

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.

CHILLED MELON SOUP

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.

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.

CHINESE WINTER MELON SMOOTHIE

Steps:

• Combine winter melon, honeydew melon, and cold water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses.
• Combine sugar and hot water in a small glass; stir to dissolve. Add to the smoothies with ice cubes. Serve chilled.

MELON CHILLER

Steps:

• Scrape the cantaloupe meat lengthwise with a spoon or a melon baller and place in a punch bowl; add the water and sugar. Mix thoroughly until all the sugar is dissolved. Chill with the addition of plenty of ice cubes.