PLUM SOUP w/HONEYDEW TARRAGON ICE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 SERVINGS
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed fresh tarragon sprigs, crushed
• 2 cups (1-inch cubes) peeled seeded honeydew melon
• 2 lb chilled firm-ripe red or black plums, halved and pitted
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: an ice cream maker

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

MAKE HONEYDEW ICE:

Bring water and sugar to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Transfer 1/2 cup hot syrup to a bowl and stir in tarragon, then cool. Chill remaining syrup.

Pour tarragon syrup through a very fine sieve into a metal bowl, discarding solids.

Puree honeydew in a blender and stir into strained tarragon syrup.

Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

MAKE PLUM SOUP:

Dice enough of plums to measure 1/2 cup and reserve. Coarsely chop remaining plums and puree in 2 batches with 1 cup chilled syrup (total) in a blender.

Pour puree through very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.

Stir in diced plums, lime juice, and chilled syrup to taste.

Serve soup immediately, topped with scoops of honeydew ice.

COOKS NOTE:

Honeydew ice can be made 1 week ahead.