Watermelon Gazpacho

COLD SUMMER SOUP!  Sweet, spicy, and refreshing, this cooling watermelon soup blends an array of hydrating produce, invigorating spices and fresh herbs.  Tomatoes are usually the main ingredient in this Mediterranean-style chilled soup, but in this version the main component is a juicy seedless watermelon. 

The following recipe serves two.  Please feel free to scale up the portion size as needed.

1/2 small Seedless Watermelon

about 12 Cherry Tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh Mint leaves;  minced

1 Lemon;  juiced

1/3 English Cucumber

1 tsp. Ginger;  minced

1 tsp. Ground Coriander

dash of Cumin

1 tsp. Jalapeño Pepper;  chopped

a drizzle of olive oil;  to taste

P R E P A R A T I O N S

Wash and clean all fresh produce.

Remove the rind of the watermelon and cut it into cubes.  Also, rough cut the English cucumber. 

Please know there is no need to peel the cucumber.

Finely mince the ginger and the mint.

Combine all the fresh ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the remaining ingredients—lemon juice, coriander, cumin and jalapeño pepper—and pulse to incorporate.  This is a good point to taste the dish to adjust the seasoning to your preference.  Depending on how sweet your watermelon is, and how acidic or sweet your tomatoes are, you may need to add more lemon juice or salt to the gazpacho until you reached a balance you like.  Caution, the jalapeño pepper in the soup will increase their heat with time and might not taste as spicy at this point.

Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour and then ladle into soup bowls.  Add a drizzle of olive oil.

       Nina