Three Melon Soup is a summer showstopper

This soup’s blazing good looks — a kaleidoscope of red, yellow and green — result from the fact that each of the three purees keeps to itself. And you don’t need to be a professional food stylist to pull off this trick — just spoon the purees into separate parts of the bowl.

I offer this recipe in two versions: plain or fancy. The former is garnished with sour cream or yogurt, strawberries and mint. The latter boasts a savory garnish: salty cheese, tortilla strips and sliced chiles. All of the purees can be prepared several days ahead of time, and you can double or triple the recipe with no problem, whichmakes it a perfect candidate for a large backyard party.

RECIPE

Start to finish: 3hours, 50 minutes (50active) Servings: 4 • 3cups coarsely chopped honeydew melon, plus 1⁄2 cup small cubes honeydew melon • 2to 4tablespoons fresh lime juice • 3cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon, plus 1⁄2 cup small cubes watermelon • 2to 4tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 3cups coarsely chopped cantaloupe melon, plus 1⁄2 cup small cubes cantaloupe melon • 1⁄4 cup plus 2tablespoons orange juice

TRADITIONAL GARNISHES

• 1⁄2 cup chopped strawberries • 1⁄4 cup sour cream • Fresh mint leaves

SAVORY GARNISHES

• 1⁄2 cup crushed tortilla chips • 1⁄3 cup crumbled feta cheese • 1small serrano, sliced thin crosswise In a blender combine the coarsely chopped honeydew with 2tablespoons of the lime juice and blend until finely pureed. Taste and add more lime juice if necessary. Transfer to a bowl, rinse out the blender and add the coarsely chopped watermelon and 2tablespoons of the lemon juice. Blend until finely pureed; taste and add more lemon juice if necessary. Transfer to a bowl, rinse out the blender and add the coarsely chopped cantaloupe, orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Blend until finely pureed; taste and add more lemon juice if necessary. Transfer to a bowl. Chill all three melon purees for at least 3hours. To serve: Remove the purees from the refrigerator and stir each one (the water in the melon will separate out as it sits). Spoon or pour equal amounts of each puree into each of four bowls and garnish with either the traditional or savory garnishes.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

194calories; 30calories from fat; 3g fat (2g saturated; 0g trans fats); 10mg cholesterol; 56mg sodium; 41g carbohydrate; 3g fiber; 35g sugar; 4g protein.

SARA MOULTON VIA AP This photo shows a threemelon soup in New York. This dish is from a recipe by Sara Moulton.