Watermelon Gazpacho
Summer around here means a couple of things: Vino in the Village and fresh tomatoes from my garden. Even if you don’t have a garden full of plump, juicy tomatoes, you can find great ones at the market this time of year.
So, how about a nice, chilled soup full of fresh tomato and watermelon flavor paired with a stunning Rosé? Well, ok. There is zero cooking involved with this Watermelon Gazpacho and I promise, it’s one of the most refreshing versions of this dish you’ll ever try. I matched this soup with The Walls Vineyards Cruel Summer Rosé of Pinot Noir at the recent Vino in the Village wine tasting celebration and both were hits.
As with everything, using the freshest ingredients you can find really makes a difference.
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and deseeded
- How To- http://www.shaunmyrick.com/eat/canning-tomatoes
- 1 1/2 pounds watermelon, cubed
- 1 large slice of white artisan bread, crust removed, soaked in small amount of cold water.
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced very small
- 1 small red onion, peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, diced
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh dill, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup good olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vodka
- Pulse the tomatoes, watermelon and any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl of the food processor. You will need to do this in batches and you want a puree that still has some visible pieces of tomatoes. Place all of the puree into a large bowl and continue. Pulse the bread in the food processor to clean out and make almost a paste and then combine into the tomato mixture.
- Pulse the peppers and onion in the food processor until you have a small mince; add to the tomato and watermelon mixture.
- Stir in the cucumber, dill, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil and vodka. Cover the bowl or place the completed gazpacho into a large container with lid; place in fridge and chill for a few hours until fully chilled.
How to peel tomatoes!
Wine pairing:
Serve along side a nice Rosé such as The Walls Vineyards Cruel Summer Rosé of Pinot Noir. This crisp French style Rosé is so refreshing on a sunny summer day.
