Chilled Watermelon-Mint Soup |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Serve Champagne with this starter. Ingredients:
12 cups 1-inch pieces seeded or seedless watermelon (from about 7 pounds) |
2 tablespoons cornstarch |
2 cups johannisberg riesling wine |
1/3 cup (or more) sugar |
2 cups (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves (from about 1 large bunch) |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
1 cup 1/4-inch cubes seeded or seedless watermelon |
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, stirred to loosen |
fresh mint sprigs |
Directions:
1. Working in batches, puree 12 cups watermelon in processor until smooth. Strain puree into large bowl. Transfer 1 cup puree to small bowl; cover and chill. Whisk cornstarch into remaining puree. Bring wine and 1/3 cup sugar to simmer in large pot, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 3 minutes. Add watermelon-cornstarch mixture; bring to boil, whisking. Transfer soup to bowl; stir in 2 cups mint. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour.
2. Strain soup into another bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in salt and cayenne. Add more sugar, if desired. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
3. Whisk reserved 1 cup watermelon puree into soup. Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Mound 2 tablespoons cubed watermelon in center of each bowl. Drizzle soup with crème fraîche. Garnish with mint sprigs.
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