Watermelon Mint
Soup
This is excellent served before a
barbecued meal.
13 cups 1 inch pieces of
watermelon, seeded, divided use
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups sweeter type white wine (like Riesling)*
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sour cream, stirred
fresh mint for garnish
Working in batches puree 12 cups
of the watermelon cubes until smooth.
Strain the puree into a large bowl. Transfer 1 cup of puree to a small bowl
and chill.
Whisk cornstarch into the remaining puree. Bring wine and 1/3
cup of sugar to simmer in a large pot, stirring
until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer 3 minutes. Add watermelon-cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil,
while whisking. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 cups of mint.
Cool to room
temperature.
Strain soup into another bowl, pressing on the
solids to get as much liquid as
possible. Stir in the salt and cayenne.
Add more sugar if you like. Chill until
cold.
Whisk reserved 1 cup of watermelon puree into the soup.
Ladle the soup
into bowls.
Put some of the reserved cubed watermelon into each dish.
Drizzle
soup with sour cream and garnish with a mint sprig.
* Use white grape juice and cut down on the sugar if you want to serve it to
kids.
We had this for a palate cleanser on Easter 2005 and it was a
huge hit with everyone.
The kids liked it too.
