Magnificent melon recipes

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Cantaloupe

A good melon can be downright magical. This week I bought a cantaloupe and I’m greeted with its heady fragrance each time I open the fridge. My husband and I love melons so much we’ve been known to devour an entire, perfectly ripe cantaloupe in one sitting. At farmers’ markets I'm discovering other melon varieties, too, like canary and galia. Here are tips about five of my favorite melon varieties and recipes to enjoy them in. Get more recipes for melons and other fresh summer produce from EatingWell.

• Cantaloupes have bright orange, firm, sweet flesh. These round melons have tan netting over yellow/green background. Try it in: Thai-Style Melon & Beef Salad
• Cut into watermelon’s thick, variegated rind and enjoy its soft, red/pink or yellow/orange flesh. To see if one’s ripe, look at the side where it rested on the ground while growing; the skin there should be yellow, not white. Try it in: Chilled Melon Soup (recipe below)
• Oval-shaped canary melons have bright yellow, smooth skin. Deliciously sweet and soft-textured, the yellow-green flesh is great for soups, desserts and scooping right off the rind. Smells fragrant when ripe. Try it in: Melon & Apple Granita
• Galia melons are a cross between cantaloupe and honeydew. The skin looks like a cantaloupe and the firm and juicy green flesh resembles honeydew. Fragrance and pale yellow skin under the netting indicate ripeness. Try it in: Melon Panzanella
• Large and round, honeydew have white to pale green skin with yellow spots when ripe. Their flesh can be either green or orange, with a soft texture and juicy, sweet flavor. Try it in: Grilled Shrimp with Melon & Pineapple Salsa

Chilled Melon Soup

6 cups cubed ripe melon
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
6 tablespoons lime juice, divided, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion green, plus 1 whole scallion, divided
1 jalapeño pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup cold water
1 2-by-1/2-inch strip orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or mint for garnish
6 teaspoons plain yogurt or crème fraîche for garnish

1. Dice enough melon to measure 1 cup and combine in a small bowl with cucumber, 2 tablespoons lime juice and scallion green. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve the soup.
2. Place the remaining melon and 4 tablespoons lime juice in a blender. Chop the whole scallion and seed and chop jalapeño; add to the blender along with water, orange zest, orange juice, ginger and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more lime juice, jalapeño and/or orange juice, if desired.
3. Refrigerate the soup until chilled, 2 hours.
4. Stir the reserved diced melon mixture and divide among 4 soup bowls. Pour the soup into the bowls. Garnish each serving with cilantro (or mint) and yogurt (or crème fraîche), if using.

Makes 6 servings, about 3/4 cup each.
Per serving: 63 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 97 mg sodium; 262 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (50% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv).

Photos: Canary, Galia courtesy Melissas.com; All other melons and recipes: Ken Burris, EatingWell