Recipes: Green Gazpacho and Prosciutto Melon With Lime and Cilantro

Serves 6.

Note: "I have found that adding sweet red wine vinegar, such as Banyuls, not only brightens the soup but also gives it a cheery, not-too-sweet note that you just don't get from standard red wine vinegar," writes Lenny Russo in "Heartland" (Burgess Lea Press, $35). "The chive sour cream garnish accentuates the puréed onions, countering the natural acidity produced by the fruit and vinegar."

For chive sour cream:

• 1 c. sour cream

• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 c. peeled, seeded and roughly chopped honeydew melon

• 1 tbsp. seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper

• 1/4 c. seeded and chopped green bell pepper

• 1/4 c. chopped green onions

• 1 c. diced white onions

• 1 c. husked and chopped tomatillos

• 2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 2 tbsp. Banyuls vinegar or other red wine vinegar (see Note)

• 1 tsp. fine sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To prepare chive sour cream: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, chives, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend well and refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare gazpacho: In a blender, combine the melon, jalapeño, bell pepper, green onions, white onion, cucumber, tomatillos, parsley, vinegar, salt and pepper and purée until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, ladle gazpacho into bowls and top with a dollop of chive sour cream.

Makes about 16 pieces.

Note: In place of cilantro sprigs, use small leaves or fine strips of spearmint. From "The Herbal Kitchen" by Jerry Traunfeld (William Morrow, $34.95).

• 2 limes

• 1/2 c. water

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 8 thin slices prosciutto (about 5 oz.)

• 1 bunch cilantro, washed and spun dry

• Half of a ripe melon, such as cantaloupe, honeydew or galia, peeled, seeded and cut into thin slices

Remove the zest from the limes in thin strips (using a citrus zester, not a microplane), reserving zest. Slice the tops and bottoms off the limes (discarding ends) and stand the limes on a cutting board. Cut off the pith in vertical strips, slicing just beneath the white layer (discarding pith), then slice the limes in 1/2-inch-thick rounds and cut each round in quarters.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, water, lime zest and salt and bring to a boil. Drop in the lime pieces and boil, uncovered and without stirring, for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the marmalade to cool at room temperature (it will thicken and jell as it does).