One hot day, when Plan A for dinner became a ridiculous idea because it was so hot out, I made this. I had all the ingredients locked in for other meals, but decided to sacrifice those meal plans for this one. Best decision ever for a mid-week day when my skin was melting. This comes together in literally 20 minutes. The longest amount of time is the couple of hours you spend sipping cervesas while your soup is chilling in the fridge.
When you make this soup, you may want to serve it along side some of these fabulous favorites : grilled shrimp, grilled chicken, vegetable kabobs, chips & salsa, toasted crostini with burrata & basil, shredded pork tacos, grilled polenta, muffaletta sandwiches or a nice charcuterie board. Don’t forget big glasses of chilled wine or simply ice cold bottles of beer. We opted for the latter along with grilled polenta topped with the cilantro pistou. It really was the perfect meal for a one hundred degree day.
This makes approximately 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 6-8 slices of good prosciutto
- 1 large ripe cantalope
- 1 large organic cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
- 2 medium shallot, diced
- 1 small fresh clove of garlic, minced
- 1 chipotle, diced
- 1 T fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp organic lime zest
- 2 T water
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 6 T red onion, finely diced
- sprigs of cilantro for garnish
- 1/4 C cilantro pistou (recipe below)
In a saute pan on medium heat, add prosciutto and cook for 4 minutes per side to get crisp. Set aside until cool enough to handle and then rough chop. Cut the cantaloupe in half, scoop out seeds, Cut melon into eighths lengthwise. Cut flesh away from skin. On a sheet pan lay out slices of cantaloupe and brush with olive oil. Heat grill to a medium heat, place slices on grate and grill until lightly caramelized – approximately 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, dice and place in blender. To the blender add diced cucumber, shallot, garlic, chipotle, lime juice, lime zest, water, salt and pepper. With blender running, drizzle in olive oil and blend until all ingredients are incorporated and soup is smooth in texture. Place in fridge for at least one hour to chill, but if you can chill for 6 hours or overnight. Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with equal amounts of prosciutto, diced red onion, cilantro leaves and a little drizzle or dollop of cilantro pistou.
CILANTRO PISTOU
Makes approximately 8 oz
- 1 C fresh organic cilantro, including stems
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 tsp jalapeno, seeded, minced
- 1/2 tsp organic lime zest
- 1 T fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
In your blender, add all ingredients. Blend until well incorporated and smooth. Add salt, pulse a few times. Will keep in a sealed jar for up to one week in your refrigerator.
COOK’S NOTES:
If it’s too ridiculously hot to grill the cantaloup, I think this soup is JUST as fabulous [and a lot less hectic] if you wanted to just add the cantaloup to the blender without grilling it.
For a vegan version just omit the prosciutto. If you’d like to add a crispy element to the soup, you can pan fry shallots and red onion for a nice garnish and/or add toasted pepitas.
Everything can be made a day ahead of serving. If you’re considering a summer backyard party, this is a perfect addition to most meals. We’ve served gazpacho in small cups with handles. It makes for a refreshing walk-about hors d’ouevre.