Watermelon Gazpacho

Recipe Author: Conne Ward Cameron

I’ve been experimenting with cold soups this week, and I’m really enjoying these two options which use a number of items from this week’s box.

I‘ve been a huge fan of gazpacho since my first taste at the Peasant Uptown at Phipps Plaza (which means I’m really dating myself since they’ve been closed for years). Spicy, flavorful tomato gazpacho, topped with shrimp … and served with their cheese toast …. it opened my eyes to the pleasures of cold soup. Now most summers I keep a half gallon jar of gazpacho in the refrigerator as soon as the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers come in.

Recently I’ve been seeing recipes for watermelon gazpacho, and this week I finally tried it out. Delicious! Here’s one way to make it, but I’ve seen it demonstrated by chefs at local farmers’ markets using many variations including adding tomatoes, using more hot peppers, or varying herbs like using dill. I liked this recipe because it used what I have in my garden and box right now. You could leave out the crab, or substitute shrimp. The sweet seafood is a nice foil for the spicy fruitiness of the soup.

Ingredients:

5 cups peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped watermelon, plus 1 cup finely chopped 1/2 cup cranberry or orange juice 1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 pepper) 1/4 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, minced 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced Juice of 1 lime 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon jalapeno or Serrano pepper, minced Salt and pepper 1 clove garlic 8 slices French bread 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

Preparation:

In a blender jar, combine tomatoes, 5 cups watermelon and juice; puree until mixture is smooth. Pass through a sieve into a large bowl or refrigerator storage container, discarding pulp.

Add cucumber, celery, bell pepper, onion, mint, parsley, lime juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and remaining cup chopped melon to watermelon liquid, and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Add sugar if needed. Refrigerate soup until well chilled, at least 1 hour.

Cut garlic clove in half, rub on bread slices. Brush with olive oil and toast in toaster oven or under broiler until golden brown and crisp.

When ready to serve, top gazpacho with crab and serve with garlic toast.

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