School of tapas: Melon soup shots

This is no traditional tapa. But due to the wild popularity tapas enjoy and the endless variations on the same theme found nowadays, sometimes small glasses or shots of cold soups or creams are also seen served as a tapa or appetizer before a copious meal. When summer is already at full speed and you long for cold and fresh drinks and dishes, a shot of chilled soup might be exactly what you need. This simple melon soup is prepared by processing melon, white wine, honey, lemon juice and salt to a pureé. It doesn't call for the use of any heat in the kitchen, which is something I am quite thankful for when temperature rises above 85 degrees.




The recipe is inspired in this Spanish website for Mediterranean cuisine.

Melon soup shots 
Yields 8 servings

• 1 small melon *
• 2/5 cup (100ml) good white wine
• 1 tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 pinches salt
• 1 thin slice good Serrano ham
  

1. Cut the melon in wedges and discard the seeds. Scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a food processor or blender.
2. Add the wine, the honey, the lemon juice and the salt. Process to a fine pureé. Chill thoroughly before serving. 
3. For the jamón serrano garnish, place a slice of jamón on a plate lined with 2 sheets of kitchen paper. Cover with more paper and microwave it briefly, until dry and crispy. Crumble the jamón by hand and sprinkle the "shards" on top of the melon soup shots. 

* Regarding the melon used, Spanish melons are egg shaped and quite large in size. A "small" melon can easily weigh 5 pounds.



For a more "sophisticated" experience, previously chill the serving glasses in the freezer. The contrast between the sweetness of the soup and the saltiness of the jamón is simply superb. Serve with a glass of chilled dry Sherry. And enjoy...