Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Lemon and Ginger
Perfectly ripe melon can stand alone, but it also marries well with bold accents, as in this chilled soup with lemon zest and fresh gingerroot.
Briefly heating the flavorings in butter and honey (avoid a hot stove and use the microwave!) brings up the flavors of the seasonings. When you blend this mixture with melon chunks, the results are like sipping on a smile.
You'll need two medium-sized, fully ripe melons for this recipe. Signs of peak ripeness include firmness, heaviness, no soft spots, a hollow sound when thumped, a faint smell of melon at the base, and no rips in the rind. For the ultimate test, take a bite. Your tastebuds will know.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Organic Valley Butter
2 tablespoons honey (or to taste)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root
1 heaping tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
6-7 cups coarsely chopped fully ripe cantaloupe or muskmelon
1 1/2-2 cups Organic Valley Milk
8 sprigs fresh mint
1 cup finely diced cantaloupe or melon
Instructions:
Place butter, honey, ginger root and lemon peel in a small bowl. Microwave until butter is fully melted, about 45 seconds. Stir to blend mixture.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape mixture into a food processor or blender. Add melon chunks and puree until as smooth as possible. Stir in milk. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill thoroughly, 4 or more hours.
Garnish each serving with a mint sprig and some finely diced melon.
Serving Suggestions:
To transform this into a dessert, increase the amount of honey and use Organic Valley Half and Half or Vanilla Soy Milk instead of the milk.
Copyright by Terese Allen
Average Customer Rating: 
Rate This Recipe
Rate this recipe or tell us about your own special twist that made it even better!
Customer Comments:
Customer rating:
i didn't follow the recipe exactly, but yum! can't wait for the flavors to come-out from refrigeration! tried some cinnamon, too- mmmm-m!