This chilled soup is a light fruity purée with diced vegetables. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer day. Gazpacho is sometimes defined as a fruit soup. With sweet and refreshing watermelon, it’s perfect for the first course of a sunny brunch or supper.
Yields 5 cups
Serves 4
Prep time: 35 minutes
Chilling time: at least 1 hour
2½ cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon
1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes
1½ cups peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumbers
¼ cup chopped fresh hot peppers, seeded for a milder “hot”
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups diced seedless watermelon
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumbers
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
3 tablespoons milk
Toasted almonds, coarsely chopped, for garnish
In a blender, purée the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, vinegars, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Add more salt to taste and chill the soup for at least an hour before serving.
In a small bowl, mix together the diced watermelon and cucumber and set aside in the refrigerator.
Prepare the crema: In a small bowl, mash together the feta and the Greek yogurt or sour cream. Whisk in the milk. Refrigerate.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon diced watermelon and cucumbers into individual bowls and pour the purée over them. Top each portion with some of the crema and sprinkle on the almonds, or serve the toppings on the side and let each person garnish their own soup.
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and/or mint. To continue the theme of summer abundance, serve with Summer Squash and Tomato Tian.