MELON GAZPACHO WITH HAM CROSTINI

Melon Gazpacho with Ham Crostini image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 serrano chile pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 large clove garlic
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 baguette, cut into 8 slices
7 cups cantaloupe chunks
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup jarred aïoli or mayonnaise
2 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. Place 4 soup bowls in the freezer. Thread the chile and garlic on a skewer. Brush the chile-garlic skewer, bell pepper and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill until well marked, about 4 minutes per side. Add the bread halfway through and grill until toasted, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the grilled bell pepper, onion, chile and garlic to a blender. Add 6 cups cantaloupe, the vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Puree until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to a medium bowl set inside a large bowl of ice to chill. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cold, at least 10 minutes.
While the soup chills, spread the aïoli on the grilled bread and top with the ham. Finely dice the remaining 1 cup cantaloupe. Serve the soup in the chilled bowls and top with the diced cantaloupe, parsley and a few grinds of pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Serve with the ham crostini.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460, Fat 26 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 18 milligrams, Sodium 755 milligrams, Carbohydrate 50 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 11 grams, Sugar 24 grams