Active Time

　　20 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hours

　　This recipe makes more honeydew ice than you'll need for the soup, but it's also terrific spooned into our plum limeade. And this dish, like the limeade, is one that you'll want to serve right away so that the soup won't begin to darken.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 dessert servings

　　2 cups water

　　1 cup sugar

　　1/3 cup packed fresh tarragon sprigs, crushed

　　2 cups (1-inch cubes) peeled seeded honeydew melon

　　2 lb chilled firm-ripe red or black plums, halved and pitted

　　2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

　　

Special Equipment

an ice cream maker

　　

Make honeydew ice:

Step 1

Bring water and sugar to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer 1/2 cup hot syrup to a bowl and stir in tarragon, then cool. Chill remaining syrup.

　　

Step 2

Pour tarragon syrup through a very fine sieve into a metal bowl, discarding solids. Purée honeydew in a blender and stir into strained tarragon syrup. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

　　

Make plum soup:

Step 3

Dice enough of plums to measure 1/2 cup and reserve. Coarsely chop remaining plums and purée in 2 batches with 1 cup chilled syrup (total) in a blender. Pour purée through very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.

　　

Step 4

Stir in diced plums, lime juice, and chilled syrup to taste.

　　

Step 5

Serve soup immediately, topped with scoops of honeydew ice.

　　Cooks' note:

　　·Honeydew ice can be made 1 week ahead.