Chilled Melon Soup with Wild Strawberries

By corlear

La Petite Soupe de Melon Glacée aux Fraises des Bois

Choose melons with a rough. wrinkled skin, prreferably Charente or cantaloupe for their delicate honey fragrance. A good melon should yield slightly when the end opposite the stem is gently pressed. Do not avoid melons split near stem end; they are more likely to be especially sweet and juicy.

Ease: Easy
Cost: Moderate

Ingredients

• 2 ripe melons (21-25 oz ea)
• 7 fl oz dry whtie wine
• 1/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 1/2 oz wild strawberries or raspberries
• 6 small sprigs fresh mint

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 25mins

Preparation

Step 1

At least 1 1/2 hours before serving: Place 6 small bowls in the refrigerator.

Cut the melons in half and scrape out the seeds with a
spoon. Scoop out the flesh with a melon baller. Place the melon balls in a bowl, cover with plastic film, and refrigerate.

Collect any bits of melon that remain in the halves. Purée in a food dprocessor with the wine, sugar and pepper to obtain a syrup. Transfer the syrup to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

1 hour before serving: Hull the wild strawberries but, above all, do not wash them or they ll be reduced to a compote and lose their fragrance.
Fill the 6 small chilled bowls th the melon bails and nap with th syrup. Divide the strawberries (or raspberries) on top. Return the bowls to the refrigerator.

Just before serving: Place the bowls on plates with a layer of crushed ice or decorated wth a doily or strawberry leaves. Place a sprig of very fresh mint in the center of each bowl. Serve immediately.

Improvise! This recipe makes an attractive first course. The cantaloupe or Charente melon can be replaced with honeydew or even watermelon, on the condition that the strawberries or raspberries are especially flavorful.