Watermelon Gazpacho

A delicious watermelon gazpacho, which is truly Summer in a Bowl. It comes together in minutes in a food processor, looks glam enough to serve your guests, and the flavors are anything but one-note. I love it with fresh tortilla chips. This recipe originated from Chef Richie De Mane at my favorite local restaurant, Pearl District.

Richie De Mane’s Watermelon Gazpacho – Alysa’s Summer in a Bowl

• 4¼ cups seedless watermelon chunks
• 1½ bell peppers, at least 2 colors -red, yellow, and/or orange, chopped
• 1 cup seedless cucumber, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• ½ small fennel bulb, chopped
• ½ jalapeno pepper, with seeds, chopped
• 1 medium red tomato
• ½ cup tomato juice or puree
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Juice of ½ lime
• ⅛ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
• Splash each of Tabasco and Sriracha sauce
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup goat cheese
• ⅓ cup mixed herbs (basil, cilantro, mint), chopped
• Olive oil (preferably smoked) – optional
• a healthy pinch of paprika, the smokier the better – optional

Place watermelon, peppers, cucumber, onion, celery and fennel in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Reserve 1⅔ cups of this watermelon-vegetable mixture in a smaller bowl. Put the remaining watermelon-vegetable mixture in a blender, and beginning with short pulsing, puree until smooth.  Pour in a large bowl and add tomato juice or puree, lemon and lime juice, seasoned rice wine vinegar, Old Bay (if using), Tabasco, Sriracha, and stir. Chill in refrigerator chill 30 minutes or longer.

While gazpacho is chilling, cut the reserved watermelon-vegetable mixture into ½-inch piece. Place in refrigerator to chill if not serving right away.

Remove gazpacho from refrigerator, add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour gazpacho into individual bowls. Put about ⅓ cup of watermelon-vegetable mixture in the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon goat cheese around the mixture and 1 tablespoon herb mixture over the gazpacho. If using olive oil, drizzle over center of gazpacho, dust with paprika. Enjoy.