Recipe Pairing: La Sirena Rosato + Chilled Thai Watermelon Soup with Dungeness Crab Salad
July 14, 2025 | Recipes | La Sirena Winery
The first in our new recipe pairing series created by Chef Christina Machamer - this colorful and flavorful summer soup is easy to make and perfect to pair with our La Sirena Rosato!
Chilled Thai Watermelon Soup with Dungeness Crab Salad
Pair with La Sirena Rosato
One of my favorite wines to drink all year round, but especially in summer when the crisp, lively palette of the wine matches the celebrations of summer and the excitement of melons ripening in the garden. With notes of rose petal and ripe red fruits, this deep blush rosado is driven by its elegantly integrated acid allowing playfulness with chili, citrus, and Asian notes. This soup transforms the sweetness of summer watermelon into a more savory and complex soup perfect to
start a summer meal. I like to make it a day ahead to allow the flavors in the soup to develop and integrate overnight.
INGREDIENTS
6C Watermelon, Cubed (approx half of one small-medium seedless watermelon)
1 Lemongrass Stalk, lower 4in chopped
2Tbsp Shallot, roughly chopped
2Tbsp Fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped
1.5tsp Garlic Salt
1Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Serrano Chili
4Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
Diamond Crystals Kosher Salt to taste
CRAB SALAD
12oz Dungeness Crab Meat
.25C Cilantro, Chopped
1tsp Olive Oil
1tsp Lime Juice, to taste
1.5Tbsp Mayonnaise*
.5tsp Garlic Salt
METHOD
1. Puree the watermelon in a blender until smooth and set aside.
2. In a small food processor, pulse lemongrass, shallot, and ginger until finely chopped.
3. Heat a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, shallot, lemongrass, and ginger, and sauté until the aromatics become soft and fragrant.
4. Add half of the watermelon puree to the pan, and simmer for 5 min, stirring occasionally.
5. Add reserved watermelon puree and simmered watermelon mixture back into the blender with garlic salt, Kosher salt, half of the chili and 2T Lime Juice. Blend to mix and adjust the flavor of the soup with more Lime juice, Chili, and/or Salt as desired.
6. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve, discarding any solids. Chill for at least 3 hours or place in an airtight container in the fridge to chill overnight.
7. Mix all ingredients for the crab salad together and adjust the flavor as desired. Divide salad among four bowls and pour in chilled soup. Garnish with edible flowers or cilantro leaves as desired.
*NOTE: I love the rich tanginess of Duke’s mayonnaise in almost all of my recipes, but for this crab salad, it can be fun to substitute a Japanese, Jalapeño, or Sriracha mayo to subtly lift the flavor.
Recipe and photo © Christina Machamer - do not copy or reproduce without permission.