Chilled Melon Soup with Prawn & Avocado

Fresh fruit soups can be prepared ahead and are fresh and cooling on a hot summer's day. Serve with grissini (Italian breadsticks) for a light lunch. 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium cucumbers
• 2 Charentais, Cantaloupe or Ogen melons
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 250g cooked peeled prawns, thawed and drained if frozen
• 1 firm, but ripe, avocado
• TO GARNISH fresh mint leaves

SERVES 4
PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus at least 1 1⁄2 hours chilling
COOKING TIME 2 minutes

Method:

1. Peel the cucumbers and cut in half crossways. Divide each half lengthways, then using a teaspoon, scoop out the seeds. Chop the flesh roughly. Drop into a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water and cook gently for 2 minutes. Drain in a sieve, then refresh under cold running water.
2. Halve the melons and remove the seeds. Scoop out the flesh using a tablespoon and put into a blender or food processor. Add the cucumber, lemon juice and chopped mint, then whizz together until blended. Turn out the mixture into a bowl. Pour 200ml of water into the blender or processor and whizz briefly, then stir this liquid into the melon and cucumber mixture.
3. Stir in the prawns and season lightly with freshly ground black pepper. Chill for at least 11⁄2 hours and up to 12 hours.
4. Just before serving, peel, stone and dice the avocado and add to the soup. Snip in some mint leaves to garnish and season to taste with more pepper if needed.