Watermelon-Goat Cheese "Nigiri" With Chilled Cucumber Soup

Submitted by derMoerder

This is a dish from my five-course goat cheese menu which I put together as a project at the [FCI].

1. Watermelon-Goat Cheese "Nigiri" With Chilled Cucumber Soup
2. Goat Cheese-Stuffed Sardines With Mediterranean Flavors
3. Goat Cheese-Crusted Lamb Chops With Beets
4. Salad Digestive with Fried Goat Cheese and Raspberry-Walnut Vinaigrette
5. Goat Cheese Ice Cream With Fig Wontons and Port Wine Sauces

In developing my dessert I was contemplating savory/sweet combinations with the goat cheese. One of the things I had in mind was to combine the cheese with melon, and while itdidn't make the cut for the dessert I'm happy that it did find its way into my appetizer.

Ingredients (4 Servings)

Cucumber Soup

• 3 Med English Cucumbers, emincez
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Leek, white and pale green only, emincez
• 3 C Vegetable Stock
• ½ C Cream
• ½ C Crème Fraiche
• 1 Tbsp Mint, hachez
• 1 Tbsp chives, hachez
• 1 Tbsp Basil, hachez
• Lemon Juice
• Salt and White Pepper

“Nigiri”

• 6 oz Chevre
• 3/4 lb Watermelon Flesh
• 4 oz Long Basil Leaves
• Fleur de Sel

Procedure

Cucumber Soup

• In the butter, sweat the leeks very thoroughly.
• Add the cucumbers and sweat briefly, then cover with the vegetable stock.
• Simmer until the cucumbers are cooked through and blend everything together until very smooth.
• Mix together the cream, crème Fraiche and herbs. Add to the puree and season to taste with the salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• Chill and keep cold for service.

“Nigiri”

• Cut the goat cheese into four rectangles per order, and the watermelon into four larger rectangles.
• Near service, Slice the basil into strips along the length of the leaves and dampen with cold water. Put them together with the chevre on the bottom and “tie” it all together with the basil strips.
• Keep Cold.

Service

• Plate a small serving of the chilled cucumber soup with four of the faux nigiri. Sprinkle the watermelon with only a few grains of fleur de sel. Serve.