Stary Cherdak’s chef Mikhail Galeyev shares a recipe for a cold melon soup with prawns and Parma ham.
250g melon, preferably two different sorts, with skin and seeds removed
2 tiger prawns (16-22 mm)
1 piece of Parma ham (or jamon)
40g 30-percent cream
ice cubes frozen with mint leaves
1 pinch of cardamom
1 pinch hot red pepper
2g salt
1 peach or nectarine
Blend the prepared melon, cream, cardamom, salt, pepper and ice cubes in a blender until the mixture forms a homogeneous mass. Pour into chilled whiskey glasses. Chop the ham into six slices. Skin the peach or nectarine, remove the seed and finely slice. Wrap each piece of peach or nectarine in a piece of ham. Boil the prawns in salted water and clean, leaving the tail. Serve with ice cubes and the prawns on top of the soup, with the ham-wrapped fruit on the side.