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Cantaloupe Soup

post #1 of 13
7/11/06 at 9:46am
Thread Starter 
I have a catering gig coming up soon, and the soup requested is a cold cantaloupe soup. I have a few good ideas, but would appreciate the input form this group. Ideas on ingredients, prep methods, garnishing, etc.
We have done so much with so little for so long, we can now do almost anything with almost nothing. Dave Marcis

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post #2 of 13
7/11/06 at 9:47am
Thread Starter 
An added note: I am attempting to do the whole five course meal with items purchased from the local farmer's market. So all suggestions must be for in-season items in northern IN/southern MI.
We have done so much with so little for so long, we can now do almost anything with almost nothing. Dave Marcis

Eat Well
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post #3 of 13
7/11/06 at 8:29pm
Chilled Melon Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 Cantalope
200ml Simple syrup (200ml water, 100ml Sugar)
Mint Sprigs

Method
Prepare simple syrup, boiling for 1 minute, and let cool. Scoop out a few melon balls and reserve for garnish. Roughly chop remaining melon

Puree melon in food processor. Add simple syrup until good consistency is achieved.
Chill in refrigerator
Served in chilled soup bowls, garnish with Mint and melon balls

This is a recipe i found layin around in my room. Really hope it's being served as a dessert. But to be hounest its not something i'd really ever serve. It's kinda in my lame books

Try something Simple like an acholic Sorbet or something, like Gin & Tonic Sorbet... But then again im really young and sometimes get to into the booze... really depends on who your catering to i guess
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post #4 of 13
7/11/06 at 8:33pm
:beer: Dude Even Better, if your using it for a palet cleanser Make Pear & Rosemarry Sorbet, serve it in a martini glass or somethng... you could even place them on Chinese Spoons With some type of pimpin Garnish...
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post #5 of 13
7/11/06 at 8:36pm
I could give you a whole bunch of ideas athough i have no Idea where Norther IN is????

Failed Geogaphi Class. and Spelling Class apparently
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post #6 of 13
7/14/06 at 6:58am
Thread Starter 
This is actually going to be the soup course! Strange but true. For the geographiccaly challenged, I'm in Northerm Indiana, so right now all of the early summer fruits are coming in, cherries, blueberries, the end of the strawberries, plums, nectarines, but peaches are a ways off yet. My original idea was to work off my basic melon salsa with cumin, jalapeno, and bell peppers, for the flavor profile.
We have done so much with so little for so long, we can now do almost anything with almost nothing. Dave Marcis

Eat Well
Reply
post #7 of 13
7/17/06 at 10:51am

Cantaloupe Soup

How about curried cantaloupe garnished with thai sweet chili sauce and scallions? I use ginger, toasted curry powder, and court bullion for the soup, and I've had a great deal of success with it.

Dan
If no one will follow you, you can't be the leader.
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post #8 of 13
7/17/06 at 11:04am
I swirl a little bit of cream in the soup at the very end and put the mint leaf right in the middle of the swirl. It's easy enough and adds a nice textural and flavor point.
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post #9 of 13
7/17/06 at 1:11pm

Did this about 1 1/2 months ago

Made a puree of melon ( I used cantelope, honeydew and cannary) with fresh squeezed oj and honey and garnished with mint creme fraiche and melon balls ( I got around 100 balls per melon using the small end of a baller). The oj should be barely detectable and the honey a little more so. To make the mint creme fraiche I used creme fraiche (duh) and some mint syrup. I thought it was pretty tasty and when its hot it is a nice chilled soup. I actually found this recipe online somewhere and it also called for champagne, which we didn't do. Just google melon soup.
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post #10 of 13
7/18/06 at 7:40pm
Thread Starter 

It was a hit

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. Here's the final product: I used apple cider for the base, pureed cantaloupes, cumin, finely ground chipotle, a touch of OJ, finished with cream and garnished with a paper thin lope slice. I thought about the mint, but am very much against putting anything on a plate that is not to be eaten.
The guests loved it! FYI, the rest of the dinner was
Apps:
boursin beggars purses, stuffed mushrooms(stuffed with the stems, cream and parm) assorted artisan cheeses and crackers
Soup:
Cantaloupe chile soup
Salad:
Spicy mixed greens, with heirloom carrots, parm crisps and raspberry vinaigrette
Entree:
Orange Ginger chicken
Brown and wild rice
Roasted summer vegetables
Dessert:
Peach sorbet with chocolate dipped tuiles.

90% of the ingredients came from the local farmer's market, much of it the morning of the event!
Thanks again for the help!
We have done so much with so little for so long, we can now do almost anything with almost nothing. Dave Marcis

Eat Well
Reply
post #11 of 13
7/19/06 at 5:14am
yum....our newspaper food section had pickled melons (not rinds) for the cover story today. Prior to getting to the end of this thread I was trying to work through a melon soup with pickled balls as garnish.....or a viniager/simple syrup drizzle. Nothing like sweet fruit with smokey heat, there are some interesting melons on the market this week....passport, ambrosia, can't remember the rest.
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #12 of 13
7/19/06 at 5:39am
Sounds delicious. All of it!

Question...how long do parm crisps stay fresh? I have an upcoming function I'd like to get a jump on.
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post #13 of 13
7/19/06 at 8:46pm
Thread Starter 

Melons and Parm Crisps

Shroom, the local market is just getting started with melons, but the heirloom squashes are fantastic, along with the purple, white, and yellow carrots.

As for the crisps
If you fry them until amost dry, they will keep for a week easily. The key is to get very fresh parm, preferably block, and shred it yourself. Get a non-stick pan to medium heat. Drop a very small amount of parm in about a 1 1/2 to 2" circle. Let it cook for a moment, flip and allow to finish to a very light gold. Play with it, and when you have the temp perfect, the parm will "pop" when it's done.
Play with your food!
We have done so much with so little for so long, we can now do almost anything with almost nothing. Dave Marcis

Eat Well
Reply
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