Faqqous with Dill – and the Secret of a Chilled Soup

Faqqous – a young, non-sweet melon and a heritage crop of the Middle East — makes a brief autumn appearance.
Its distinctive flavour and crisp texture call for just a simple dressing.

Ingredients

1 kg faqqous, cut into rounded chunks
Good-quality olive oil — I use the Reish Lakish blend
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp coarse salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

You can substitute melon or cucumber for the faqqous.

Preparation

Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill. Pour over the faqqous and toss gently.

And now comes my favourite part: chilled faqqous soup.

I pour the dressing left at the bottom of the bowl, together with the juices released by the faqqous, into a soup plate, add two pieces of faqqous and serve chilled.

A true delight for autumn days, when the sun caresses the rain clouds.