The present summer heat sometimes calls for cool dishes like this cold melon and tomato soup with chili.
This soup combines a lot of different tastes. Sweet, salty, slightly sour and hot are well balanced in this recipe.
The measurements for chili and the cold water are a bit vague this time. The reason is that some chilis are hotter than others and also that some people like their soups to be spicier than other people do. So I leave it up to you to decide how much chili you want to use for this recipe. The amount of water is also quite vague. But then, some melons and tomatoes are juicier than others and so you should decide for yourself whether you want a thick soup or not. Maybe it might be necessary to season it again in the end!
Cold Melon and Tomato Soup with Chili
Serves 4
For the soup:
½ Canteloupe melon
4 tomatoes
1 chili (amount according to taste)
1 clove of garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime (juice)
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar (or similar vinegar)
salt
some cold water
for the puff pastry sticks (about 30 sticks):
1 package of shop bought puff pastry (defrosted if frozen)
3 tablespoons basil pesto
some coarse sea salt
Remove the stems of the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. Remove them after about 30 seconds and rinse with very cold water. The peel should come off easily now. Cut into halves and remove the seeds.
Peel the melon and cut into chunks. Peel the garlic and cut into slices. Chop the chili.
Put all the ingredients except the water into an electric blender and pulse until creamy. If the soup is very thick, add some cold water. Season according to your taste, fill into 4 glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
For the puff pastry sticks, slightly roll the pastry on a floured surface, using a rolling pin. Spread the pesto on the pastry, season with salt and cut into ½ x 6 inch sticks. Put some baking paper on a baking sheet and put the sticks onto it. Bake at 160°C fan / 180° standard oven (320°F fan, 356°F standard oven) for about 30-35 minutes.
Serve the cold soup with the puff pastry sticks.
Note: If you use one shop bought puff pastry you will get about 30 sticks, which you do not really need to serve with the soup. But the sticks can also be served as a snack or with a glass of wine.
Note: Serve the soup with nachos instead of puff pastry sticks.
Here is the recipe for printing:
- Serves 4
- [b]For the soup:[/b]
- ½ Canteloupe melon
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 chili (amount according to taste)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime (juice)
- 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar (or similar vinegar)
- salt
- some cold water
- [br]
- [b]for the puff pastry sticks (about 30 sticks):[/b]
- 1 package of shop bought puff pastry (defrosted if frozen)
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- some coarse sea salt
- Remove the stems of the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. Remove them after about 30 seconds and rinse with very cold water. The peel should come off easily now. Cut into halves and remove the seeds.
- Peel the melon and cut into chunks. Peel the garlic and cut into slices. Chop the chili.
- Put all the ingredients except the water into an electric blender and pulse until creamy. If the soup is very thick, add some cold water. Season according to your taste, fill into 4 glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- For the puff pastry sticks, slightly roll the pastry on a floured surface, using a rolling pin. Spread the pesto on the pastry, season with salt and cut into ½ x 6 inch sticks. Put some baking paper on a baking sheet and put the sticks onto it. Bake at 160°C fan / 180° standard oven (320°F fan, 356°F standard oven) for about 30-35 minutes.
- Serve the cold soup with the puff pastry sticks.
Enjoy!
All the best, Simone
