Veggies on the counter

I haven’t been around for quite some time and that doesn’t come without an excuse: great amount of work and the consequent absence from the kitchen have slowed down my inspiration (and desire) to cook these days. Anyway, as I’m now officially on vacation, I’m slowly getting back on track. :) Summer has arrived and cold soups have been in my daily menu quite often. Having heard about Watermelon Gazpacho before, I decided, this time, to give it a try, by combining the ingredients that are usually used when making gazpacho (minus the bread), plus the addition of watermelon. Simple, tasty and refreshing was the outcome. I encourage you to give this one a try, specially if you’re looking for light and summery soups. I like the concept  of using seasonal fruits in chilled soups, and I’m tempted to try a version of gazpacho with cherries (which I’ve seen online) as well as a chilled melon soup I’ve spotted while flipping through the pages of The Millenium Cookbook.

Watermelon Gazpacho

(serves 3 to 4)

Ingredients:

3 cups (450 grams) seeded and diced watermelon

3 medium sized tomatoes (about 1 1/4 cups or 300 grams), peeled, seeded and diced

1 small cucumber (about 3/4 cup or 135 grams), peeled, seeded and diced

1 small white onion (about 1/3 cup or 50 grams), minced

2 tablespons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

1 cup (140 grams) cooked corn kernels (cut from a medium sized corn cob)

1 medium sized onion, minced

a handful of chopped mint or basil leaves (I used the first)

1. In a large food processor or blender, blend the watermelon until smooth. Alternatively, if your food processor or blender isn’t large enough, you can work in batches.

2. Then, add the diced tomatoes, cucumber, white onion and ginger and purée until well blended. Finally, add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to the mixture, and pulse once again for a couple of seconds to combine. Add a taste and adjust the seasonings, adding a bit more salt and pepper if necessary.

3. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

4. In the meantime, mix all the ingredients for the garnish.

5. To serve, pour the soup into chilled bowls or glasses and scatter 2 to 3 tablespoons of the corn and onion mixture on top.