Chilled Ginger-Watermelon Soup

I made palate cleanser appetizer for a House of Hsi dinner party (think formal meal prep and casual atmosphere). It relies entirely on the sweetness of the watermelon and the subtle heat of the ginger as the only ingredient flavorings. The peppermint mint leaves were just for garnish. There is no added sugar; mostly because watermelons are very sweet at the end of summer. Because the size of the bowls that were used held less than a cup of soup each, the portion sizing of this recipe is an estimate. If you have a water pitcher that can fit (covered) in the refrigerator, it'll make pouring this appetizer really easy.

Serves: 12+

Ingredients

One medium seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
36 watermelon balls, chilled
One 1" x 1/2" peeled fresh ginger root, grated with a ginger grater
2 fresh mint leaves per bowl (optional, as garnish)

Directions

1. In a large 5-quart bowl, use an immersion blender to blend the watermelon chunks, grated ginger, and ginger juice together. Transfer to a serving pitcher and chill for at least an hour before serving.

2. Using a melon baller, scoop out rounded balls of watermelon. Cover and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

3. To plate this, place three watermelon balls inside the soup bowl. Fill the bowl until the balls are barely covered by the soup. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.