Melon Summer Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Melon Summer Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

So, P.J. (my lovely husband) loves cantaloupe, and I love prosciutto. You’d think that would mean we’d share a mutual love for the Italian classic of prosciutto-wrapped melon, right?  Well, we have a small challenge – P.J. is vegetarian, and I wouldn’t say that I love cantaloupe.  That said, I recently saw a recipe in Cooking Light for a cantaloupe-based chilled gazpacho with crispy prosciutto, and I thought I might give it a try.  I’ll say up front that, while we both liked the dish, it was perhaps not our very favorite.  Not because it’s not good, but more because the prosciutto really is a key element (which P.J. couldn’t eat), and as it turns out, I really just don’t care that much for cantaloupe.

I realize the above is not the best sales job for this recipe… 😉  That said, I believe that if you’re a fan of cantaloupe and you’re up for adding the prosciutto, you’ll probably really like this one. You’ll find my adaptation after the jump.

Melon Summer Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
Quantity: 4 dinner servings or 8 appetizer servings
Time: 20 minutes prep/cooking + additional 10-20 minutes chilling
Paleo Grade: A (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

• About 2.5 pounds of cubed, peeled cantaloupe (about 1 medium cantaloupe)
• About 1.5 pounds of cubed peaches (approx. 2 large peaches)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. coconut oil or bacon grease
• 4 oz. shaved prosciutto, torn into long strips
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh mint
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Place cantaloupe, peaches, water, shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt in a blender or food processor (blade attachment) and blend until smooth. (I did this in two batches.) Transfer to a bowl and chill in the freezer while cooking prosciutto.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add cooking fat of choice.  Add prosciutto, cooking until crisp (about 10 minutes). Transfer cooked prosciutto to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
3. Scoop soup into serving bowls with a ladle (or measuring cup!) and top with prosciutto, mint, and pepper.

Vegetarian?  Just skip the prosciutto like my hubby!  If you do, I recommend adding additional salt since much of the salty kick comes from the prosciutto.  🙂