Oct 14, 2021
In Spain, gazpacho is served icy cold, in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers. The perfect soup when it is too hot to eat, and your body is craving something nourishing, cold, and salty. Typically, an emulsion of red tomatoes, pale green cucumbers, and golden olive oil, it is an easy preparation that comes together quickly in a blender. Oftentimes, this refreshing soup is topped with bits of stale bread. Variations can include onion, bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, and smoked sweet paprika (in the Northern regions), and toppings may contain almonds, grapes or chopped vegetables.
In Palm Beach and the Hamptons, I have encountered several creative variations on the theme, some of which may make an Andalusian cringe. Having grown up in New York, I always appreciate a dish that melds cultural tastes—concepts from one region combined with the flavors of another, using the fresh ingredients grown locally—like the Green Gazpacho soup featured in Hamptons Entertaining.
The gifted, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Sarah Patricola, created this easy-to-make Melon Gazpacho for me and my family. We tasted it for the first time during our winter holiday in Hawaii, on a particularly hot evening, and we welcomed the refreshing, flavorful soup with requests for second helpings—a sure sign of a winning recipe.
Yield: Serves 8-10
1 medium sized honeydew, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (about 9 cups)
1 medium sized English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
1 Jalapeño, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
½ bunch cilantro, large stems discarded
15 sprigs mint, stems removed
Juice of 2 limes
¾ cup cold water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Optional Garnish: Cilantro, mint, or compressed melon
Combine the honeydew, cucumber, Jalapeño, shallot, cilantro, mint, lime juice, and water in a high-speed blender, working in batches if necessary.
Blend ingredients until completely homogenous.
Return liquid to the blender and stream in the olive oil, blending until completely emulsified, and add salt.
Transfer to a non-reactive container and chill for at least 1 hour. At the same time, chill bowls or serving vessels of your choice.
When ready to serve, ladle soup into chilled vessels and garnish.
This soup may be garnished with a few cilantro leaves, mint leaves, cubed melon, and a drizzle of olive oil. For a fancier presentation and greater depth of flavor, garnish with compressed melon. (Cut melon into thick strips and place in a foodsaverbag with 1 tablespoon of lime juice, salt, and a chiffonade of mint. Seal bag and chill along with the soup, or overnight. Melon should intensify in color slightly and look more like stained glass. Remove from bag, cut into cubes, and garnish soup.)
 | If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with the #anniefalk so we can all see it! |
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