Honeydew and Mint Soup

We first enjoyed this soup at Jan and Stan Shapiro's 4th of July Barbecue in Skokie, 2002. I immediately added it to my summer repertoire as a refreshing first course or dessert. There is a lot of freedom to adjust the mint, sugar, and lime to taste. It's a very easy, but elegant dish.

Ingredients:

2 medium honeydew melons, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed and spun dry
4-6 T. freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
1-2 T. sugar
pinch of salt
small cantaloupes (optional) to halve and use as serving bowls

In a food processor, purée the honeydew, the mint leaves, the lime juice, the sugar to taste, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the soup to a large bowl or wide-mouth jar, cover tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. The soup may be made 2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator, tightly covered.

If you are using the cantaloupes, decoratively halve them, remove the seeds, cut a small slice from the bottom to allow them to sit firmly on a plate, and chill before serving. Ladle the soup into the cantaloupe halves or bowls, and optionally garnish with additional mint leaves.

Serves 8-12 depending on whether you use the cantaloupes to serve the soup.

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