Cold melon-berry soup

Cold soups are the perfect dish for summer, and this one makes the most of sun-ripened melons that flood the market during these hot months. This is an exceedingly simple soup, but one that is superb.

The sweet melon, make sure you have an exceedingly ripe melon, is balanced by a touch of heat from the ginger and the freshness of mint. Together, this combination is superb. The strawberries add a nuance of sweet-tart freshness to the soup. This is the perfect chilled soup to keep the summer heat at bay.

I do not have too many French cookbooks on my shelf. I have a couple from Pepin and this fantastic cookbook from Dorie Greenspan. It is packed with classic French dishes and quite a few from the old French colonial states. The recipes are always fantastic, and this is my go-to cookbook for French cuisine.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 ripe cantaloupes, green melons or sun melons, peeled and chunked

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup sweet white wine (optional)

15 mint sprigs

Salt, to taste

Strawberries, thinly sliced

Method:

Puree the melons, ginger, lime juice, white wine if using, mint and salt until very smooth. If you desire, you can push the soup through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture. Chill for at least 3 hours.

To serve, spoon the soup into a bowl and garnish with 5-6 pieces of sliced strawberry. Serve chilled.