Watermelon-Strawberry Gazpacho garnished with Fresh Mint, Basil, and Basil Oil
Maybe I should have titled this Savory Sips, as this cold summer soup can either be swigged from a cup or spooned from a bowl. Either way, you’re in for a bonanza of summertime flavor.
The Occasion: First course for a dinner party – which is how I served it a few weeks ago; or as the main event for a light lunch or supper, sharing the placemat with a simple piece of grilled fish.
Why This? Inspiration comes from Restaurante Amelibia in Laguardia, Spain, where we enjoyed a marvelous lunch during a wine tour in the Rioja region during a recent vacation. (Read more about our Spain getaway here – Barcelona and San Sebastián; Bilbao and wine tour recap to come.) I doctored up an excellent recipe from Food Network to more closely match the fruit-forward gazpacho we had there.
Serve With: Herb-flecked flatbread or crackers, or a small salad of baby greens. Something with a bit of bite or chew to it, in contrast to the silky smooth texture of this sophisticated gazpacho.
The Occasion: First course for a dinner party – which is how I served it a few weeks ago; or as the main event for a light lunch or supper, sharing the placemat with a simple piece of grilled fish.
Why This? Inspiration comes from Restaurante Amelibia in Laguardia, Spain, where we enjoyed a marvelous lunch during a wine tour in the Rioja region during a recent vacation. (Read more about our Spain getaway here – Barcelona and San Sebastián; Bilbao and wine tour recap to come.) I doctored up an excellent recipe from Food Network to more closely match the fruit-forward gazpacho we had there.
Serve With: Herb-flecked flatbread or crackers, or a small salad of baby greens. Something with a bit of bite or chew to it, in contrast to the silky smooth texture of this sophisticated gazpacho.
Watermelon-Strawberry Gazpacho
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Set the Table: Vintage tea cups are a fun way to serve this cold soup.
If the cups are sturdy enough, chill them in the refrigerator before ladling the soup and serving. |
The Verdict: This gazpacho was a big hit at a recent dinner party, receiving kudos and requests for the recipe. Although it takes some time – pressing the soup through a fine-mesh strainer takes longer than you think – it is not at all difficult, and is more than worth the effort. I’ll make it again this summer, hopefully while strawberries are still in season. If they don’t look good when you visit the market, just increase the quantity of tomatoes and watermelon – one additional cup of each.
| Print The Recipe- Watermelon-Strawberry Gazpacho |
Watermelon-Strawberry Gazpacho
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Tasty Tip: Use basil-infused oil to really amp up the flavor.
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 medium tomatoes, preferably heirloom varieties, chopped
- 3 cups diced seedless watermelon
- 2 cups hulled, chopped strawberries
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium shallot, sliced
- 1/3 cup loosely packed basil and mint, plus small leaves for topping
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, cucumber, bell pepper, shallot, basil and mint in a large bowl. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the olive oil and vinegar.
- Puree the tomato mixture in a blender, in batches if necessary. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract any liquid; discard the solids and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- To serve, top the soup with the small herb leaves, half a strawberry, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tasty Tip: Use basil-infused oil to really amp up the flavor.
What's your favorite beat-the-heat recipe for summer? Tell all in the Comments.
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