You may stash out-of-season shoes in your oven, but Ronna Welsh won’t judge. The talented food writer and chef (Savoy, Rosewater) who just launched Purple Kale Kitchenworks out of her tiny Park Slope kitchen, will show you how to actually use your appliances. Her classes, catering, and group workshops explain how to improvise a delicious meal from whatever’s in your fridge (excluding nail polish). With tomato season upon us, she offered this cool fruit soup that’s hearty enough for supper and leaves leftovers for lunch.

Chilled Tomato and Cantaloupe Soup
Serves six to eight

Ingredients
2 c. diced tomatoes (about 2 medium)
6 c. diced cantaloupe (about 2 small)
6 c. sliced celery (about 2 bunches, no leaves)
2 small cloves garlic
1½ shallots, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. roughly chopped dill weed
6 c. cubed country or sourdough bread, including crusts
8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. lime juice
A few pinches of ground cumin

1. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients except olive oil, salt, vinegar, lime juice, and cumin.

2. Blend in batches with olive oil until very smooth.

3. Pass through a fine mesh strainer.

4. Add salt, vinegar, lime juice, and cumin.

5. Chill well (at least one hour), adjust seasonings to taste, stir to blend, and serve.

Note: This soup is too thick and difficult to season if not strained. There is nothing in it that has to be discarded, but the soup will be better if perfectly smooth.

Hungry for more? Check out Welsh’s blog for more tips, tricks, and tasty morsels. For more information about Purple Kale Kitchenworks, go to purplekale.com or e-mail info@purplekale.com.

Photo: Ronna Welsh

Too many chefs in the kitchen? We’ve got a batch of hearty recipes that’ll keep everyone cooking.

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