Sassy Southern Cooking with a French Twist

Sparkling Canteloupe Soup with Prosciutto and Basil

This cold, refreshing canteloupe soup is  a delicious and low-calorie way to celebrate the tastes of summer.

A crazy, water-logged summer has taken its toll on farmers and produce. Sweet, juicy peaches from summers’ past have become tasteless, over-sized balls of flavorless water and tomatoes halted their season early. I’ve had great luck with canteloupes however, finding fragrant, sweet melons at farmers’ markets and local sections at the grocery store.

Hot southern summers cry out for the cool, sweetness of melon. I can’t see or taste canteloupe without thinking of many afternoons I spent in France supping with friends on the smaller, sweeter varietals they serve there, often wrapped in Jambon de Bayonne and served with a cool, bubbly glass of Blanquette de Limoux.

This sparkling canteloupe soup brings these luscious flavors together, and gets blessed with a dash of cream, which recalls a kind of grown-up ice cream float, minus all the calories and with the peppery pluck of fresh basil and ground black pepper. I substitute the more easily found prosciutto (dry-cured ham found in the deli section) and brut Champagne for the Blanquette. The soup is not cooked, so if you’re not comfortable with a bit of alcohol in the soup, substitute sparkling cider.

Sparkling Canteloupe Soup

Sparkling Canteloupe Soup

Refrigerate the soup thoroughly for an hour or up to three hours (any longers and the bubbles will lose their luster)  and serve in shallow bowls. Garnish the center of the plate with the basil and prosciutto and finish with a drizzle of black pepper.  This presentation gives a pretty French touch while putting the perfect finishing touches on this fabulous soup’s flavor package.

Sparkling Canteloupe Soup with Prosciutto and Basil

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

1/2 large, ripe canteloupe, halved, seeded and peeled cut into 1/4″ cubes (about 4 cups)

2/3 cup brut Champagne (or substitute non-alcoholic sparkling cider)

1/2 cup whole cream (do not substitute with another reduced fat cream)

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Zest of 1 lime

Garnish:

8 slices prosciutto, trimmed and cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 teaspon extra virgin olive oil

You’ll need a food processor or blender; I find the latter yields a frothier, smoother soup. After that, it goes fast! Prep the canteloupe. To remove the outer rind, it’s easiest to cut the melon into several slices (usually about 4 to 6). Then, using a sharp, medium chef’s knife, slice along the bottom to remove the rind. Cut the melon into cubes. Place in the blender with the Champagne and cream. Pulse a few times and then blend until smooth and frothy.

Pour out into a medium sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lime zest. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly for one hour in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, prep the garnish and toss the prosciutto, basil and oil together in a small bowl.

To serve, ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Top with a dollop of the garnish set up in the middle of the bowl. Dust with a sprinkle of ground black pepper. (Note: Taste the soup after it has chilled.  The colder temperature may “numb” your previous seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper as needed).

Bon appetit!

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