Just this past weekend, I decided to have a dinner party for some friends to celebrate May long weekend and the theme was May Mexican Fiesta. We had a great time – I’m very lucky to have happy, fun and outgoing friends!
I decided to make spicy watermelon soup as an appie that I tried last summer and never shared yet on this blog.
The full menu of the evening included the following items along with the soup:
- Appies: Salsa De Chile y Queso and Chips, Spicy Watermelon Soup
- Soft Taco Bar: BBQ Beer Braised Chicken Verde, BBQ Mexican Five Spice Halibut, Pineapple Quacamole, Roasted Tomato Salsa, Queso fresco, Roasted Corn and Pepper Salad with Queso Fresco
- Dessert: Mexican Chocolate Ice-cream
The Verdict of Spicy Watermelon Soup? I really like this soup because it is refreshing and has the perfect amount of spice to it. It was received well by all who attended my Mexican Fiesta. I did serve a splash of tequila with the soup and as an Amuse Bouche (single soup shots). With the left-overs, later on in the evening, we used the soup as a cocktail base with ice, tequila and a splash of carbonated soda. Very versatile soup indeed!
Spicy Watermelon Soup Ingredients:
- 8 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon (from a 5-lb piece, rind discarded)
- 1 fresh lemongrass stalk
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mild olive oil
- 1 medium hot green chile such as Serrano, finely chopped (including seeds)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Spicy Watermelon Soup Instructions:
- Purée watermelon in a blender until smooth and transfer to a bowl. (Don’t bother washing blender yet.)
- Discard 1 or 2 outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root end. Thinly slice lower 5 to 6 inches of stalk and then mince, discarding remainder.
- Cook lemongrass, shallot, ginger, and garlic in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until aromatics are pale golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add about one third of watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes.
- Remove watermelon mixture from heat, then transfer to blender along with chile, lime juice, and salt and blend until smooth.
- Add remaining watermelon purée and blend briefly. Season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt if desired, blending if necessary.
- Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding any solids.
- Chill soup, uncovered, about 2 hours if serving cold.
- Garnish with some cilnatro.
Original soup recipe from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Thai-Spiced-Watermelon-Soup-with-Crabmeat-109630
What I changed from original soup recipe:
- Didn’t use crab meat
- Use more watermelon, shallot, ginger, and garlic
Soup Mistress Rating for Spicy Watermelon Soup:
Healthy (+ slimming + low sodium): (4.75/5)
Presentation: (3.75/5) 
Taste: (4.5/5)
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