A Savoury Melon Soup Starter
Provencal Recipes · Soup · TasteGiuseppina Mabilia, who blends a fusion of tastes from Italy and Provence at her cooking school Venise en Provence shares this recipe for a savoury, cold melon soup. Perfect for a starter in the heat of summer, or for lunch.
Cold Melon Soup Starter
This is one of my preferred recipes: it's very simple and easy to make but incredibly good, and all your guests will enjoy it so much. Now, as the main ingredient is melon, you should choose a really good one, as that will make the difference. You might be tempted to add something. Well, I did initially, and then I just reduced the ingredients to the minimum, and that's simply perfect.
Ingredients
- 4-5 small melons Cavaillon variety in France, or Cantaloupe
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt just a pinch
- fresh basil
- 1 tsp dried red pepper cayenne or Piment d'Espelette
Instructions
- Start by washing the melon and cutting it in two (if you serve them, try to make a nice cut: equal and clean). Then, make some balls with a Parisian scoop melon baller.
- Calculate five balls for each serving, set in a bowl and cool in the fridge.
- Now, you can scoop the rest of the melon roughly and put it in a blender, though not all at once: start with a small quantity and then add the rest. Mix well.
- Add the oil, a pinch of salt, the red peppercorn and some of the basil and mix again till you have a smooth consistency.
- Taste: If it seems a bit insipid, add a pinch of salt and some extra oil and mix again.
- Store in the fridge and let it cool for 1 hour. Then, pour the half melons into a nice glass or bowl, add the melon balls, and some basil.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you have the chance to find small melons you can present this starter as you see in the photo, otherwise I serve it in nice cups or glasses. This recipe is highly influenced by the quality of melons that you use.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Côtes de Provence Pierrefeu Rosé 2015Next Post
Events for First Weekend in JuneRelated Provence Articles
Antibes: A Timeless Treasure on the Côte d’Azur
June 5, 2025
Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea’s azure waters and Provence’s rolling hills lies Antibes, a gem of the French Riviera that enchants visitors with its irresistible blend of history, art, and culinary traditions. A Journey Through the Centuries As you wander through the narrow, cobblestone streets of the old town, you ...
My Chicken Ispahan Recipe – Inspired by Pierre Hermé’s French Pastry
May 26, 2025
It may seem strange, but I am not a café au lait fan. However, a hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) in Paris with a beautiful pastry called an Ispahan – now that is a magical French experience. Pierre Hermé created the dessert for Ladurée, the finest purveyor of macarons in Paris ...
Maussane-les-Alpilles: A Friendly Hotel-Restaurant with Excellent Food
May 23, 2025
“We love our clients and treat them like honoured guests.” These are the words of Marielle Fabregoul of l’Oustaloun, a charming hotel-restaurant in Maussane-les-Alpilles. She and her husband Thierry share a passion for customer service, which shows. A Local Institution L’Oustaloun has long been an institution in Maussane. It began ...
Authentic French Cream Potato Soup For Your Next Dinner Party
May 19, 2025
Potage Parmentier is an easy French cream potato soup that makes a delicious first course. The ingredients are only a few: potatoes, leeks, salt, water, and a little cream. Considering the ingredients, this is most likely a peasant soup, but these days, it is served in some very nice restaurants ...
4 Comments
Interesting! I’ll have to try this once the weather gets a bit warmer.
Hi Ashley – yes when the Cavaillon melons are at the height of perfection this soup will be a perfect summer treat.
This looks so delightful, and I wish I could get my hands on some Cavaillon melons to make it! (When you said 4-5 small melons, I knew you meant Cavaillons!) Other nice melons will be coming into season here, soon, and I look forward to making this.
Hi David: Yes you are correct (thanks for clarifying) that would be 4-5 Cavaillon melons. As a not I do not even like melons, except for the Cavaillon version. :-)