Charlie Trotter’s Ginger Melon Soup with Citrus Granite

 

This is a great recipe to test out your new Vitamix 5200. With only two ingredients in the soup, it seems like a no brainer. However, it’s important that you make the citrus granite (which is just a fancy word for ice). The soup, while flavorful, doesn’t stand up on its own. It’s too subtle. 

There is a great documentary on Netflix about the groundbreaking work done by Charlie Trotter - titled “Love, Charlie”; it’s an important survey of how we went from fine dining meaning French to now meaning Fine Dining in America. 

Ginger-Melon Soup

2 small or 1 large honeydew melon, flesh cut into 1-2’ chunks

1/4 C candied ginger, coarsely chopped (see note)

• Purée in blender until smooth
• Strain through a chinois / strainer / cheesecloth 

Citrus Granite

1 grapefruit

2 oranges

2 lemons

1 lime

1/4 C simple syrup

• Juice all the fruit into a metal 8x8 pan (or similar)
• Freeze, scraping the surface with a fork every 10-15 minutes until completely frozen

Assembly

• Place a scoop of granite in center of a shallow bowl
• Carefully pour soup around the granite
• Garnish with mint or citrus zest if desired

Notes: 

• Add a 1/4 C water to the melon if it doesn’t blend right away
• Use 2 T of preserved ginger if you can’t find candied ginger. Mix 1/4 C of julienned ginger into 1/2 C water and  1/2 C sugar. Simmer 10 minutes.  Drain and repeat 2 more times with refreshed water and sugar. 

Adapted from: Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home