watermelon gazpacho

blended, puréed, put through a sieve . . . i savor smoothie-soups. i will even set down my spoon and drink a velvety soup right from the bowl, elbows up, if i'm eating alone. and less spoons in the dishwasher silverware basket is a purée-plus.

 

          i've been making this gazpacho for oodles of summers and can't remember where i got the recipe. it's one that i rated recipe-card-worthy. long-gone is the original. i'm sure i must have torn it out of a magazine because the aromatics are cooked and it's puréed. i much prefer it to a traditional gazpacho of raw peppers, garlic and onions– too pungent. and swapping out watermelon for cucumber also sweetens the pot. try serving watermelon gazpacho as an appetizer in shot glasses . . . so you don't have to wash any spoons.

ingredients (makes four large servings)

• 1 small seedless watermelon, roughly chopped

• 6 roma tomatoes

• olive oil

• 1/2 cup minced shallots, minced

• 2 jalapenos, minced

• 1 orange bell pepper, minced
• a few squirts of champagne vinegar

• a handful or so of minced cilantro

• salt and pepper

directions

1. boil some water in a med. saucepan and drop in the tomatoes. once the skins are loosened, turn off the heat and let them cool.

2. remove the tomato skins and discard them. put the tomatoes and chopped watermelon into a soup pot.

3. coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and set it on a med-low flame. once the oil is shimmering, add the shallot, jalapeno, and bell pepper. sauté slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.

4. add the cooked aromatics, the champagne vinegar, and salt and pepper to the pot.

5. process the ingredients with a stick blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. stir in the minced cilantro.

6. refrigerate the soup in the pot for several hours or over night to let the flavors combine and age.
7. garnish with cilantro and serve.