| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: No Cooking Required | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 149 | 0.5g | 0.2g | 37g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 35g | 2g | 2.5g | 0.1g |
Once again, I find myself delighting in the culinary exploration that is the Chilled Melon Soup. It’s a wonderful combination of cool, sweet, tangy, and refreshing. Not to mention its attractive palette appealing to sight before it even tantalizes the taste buds. It’s like a symphony for your senses. If you’re curious, you’ll find the recipe right here.
A Bridge between Cultures
With roots deeply embedded in New England seafood and Irish comfort food, this Chilled Melon Soup may seem like a departure from my usual recipes. However, I see it as the perfect meeting point between my Irish grandparents’ love for hearty meals and Boston’s abundant fruit harvest. It’s a refreshing starter to a meal, or a light dessert option, perhaps after feasting on New England’s famous clam chowder, or a rich shepherd’s pie inspired by my Irish lineage. This soup is a reminder of the global village that food often creates, drawing on varied ingredients and flavors that speak to our shared human experience of enjoying good food.
Health on a Spoon
Aside from its delectable taste, this Chilled Melon Soup offers an array of health benefits. Melons are high in vitamins A and C, making for a great immuno-boosting dish. The orange and lime juice double down on this, making this soup a veritable cocktail of vitamins and antioxidants. Add to this the boon of honey’s antimicrobial properties and cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory benefits, and you have a dish that not only soothes your taste buds, but your health too.
With a dollop of yogurt for that creamy finish and a dash of salt to balance the sweetness, this soup is perfectly orchestrated in its flavors. The addition of fresh mint leaves not only elevates the visual appeal of the dish but adds a note of freshness that sets it apart from other chilled soups.
Making Melon Magic
Creating the Chilled Melon Soup isn’t just about mixing ingredients; it’s about mixing your affection for those who will dig into it. While my love Laura savors the soup, appreciating the harmony of flavors, our little boy takes tiny spoonfuls, his giggle echoing through our Bostonian home. There’s something equally heartwarming and satisfying in seeing your family relishing a dish that’s filled with nutritional goodness
Whether you wish to introduce more fruit into your life in a more savory fashion or you’re catering for a summer evening dinner party, the Chilled Melon Soup is sure to be a winner. It offers a refreshing contrast to heavier dishes, making it an excellent addition to your culinary repertoire. I find it pairs marvelously with dishes like Grilled Lobster taking benefit of the seafood abundance in Boston or Irish Beef Stew, a nod to my Irish lineage.
What You’ll Need
- 4 cups of cubed ripe melon (such as cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon)
- 1 cup of fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup of lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of plain yogurt
- 6 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
Method
Step One
Start by preparing your melon. Slice it open, remove the seeds and skin, then cube the flesh until you have 4 cups worth.
Step Two
Place the cubed melon in a blender. Add to the blender 1 cup of fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Step Three
Blend all the ingredients together until the mixture becomes smooth. Make sure to scrape down sides of blender as necessary to ensure all ingredients are properly blended.
Step Four
Once your mixture is ready, pour it into a large bowl or pitcher. Cover this with a lid or cling film, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This allows the flavors to mingle and the soup to become refreshing cold.
Step Five
Right before serving, stir in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt to add a creamy texture. Do a taste test, adjusting the sweetness or acidity with more honey or lime juice if desired.
Step Six
Distribute the chilled melon soup among 6 serving bowls or glasses. Garnish each with a fresh mint sprig for an extra burst of freshness. Enjoy immediately!
