(you can use beetroot or strawberries if you don’t like/have watermelon)
Prep time 15 minutes
As I write this, Europe is in the middle of a heatwave & the last thing I feel like doing is cooking.
However, I have a bumper harvest of homegrown tomatoes that I need to use. What’s easy & cooling? … Gazpacho!
I’ve made beetroot & watermelon gazpachos before & my friend gave me some of her strawberry recipe when I visited. All 3 extra ingredients, make a subtle change to the traditional tomato taste, so why not experiment with an added ingredient of your choice. Here’s my recipe for Watermelon Gazpacho:
Last time it was a bit watery, so I changed the quantities around a bit. I also added a little fresh chilli to the mix (& didn’t use any garlic)… It works!
Ingredients:
🍅 2 ripe tomatoes
🍅 Half a small cucumber (skinned)
🍅 2 tbs chopped shallots or red onion
🍅 Fresh or dried chilli (this needs to be subtle so add a little at a time)
🍅 1 tbs red wine vinegar
🍅 1-2 tbs olive oil (I used a splash only)
🍅 350g watermelon
🍅 Seasoning to your taste (especially if you cut out the olive oil)
💡 You may notice I don’t use bread which is a traditional Andalucian ingredient. Instead I make it without, or if I want it to be thicker, I use ground almonds (which can also be traditional).
💡If you want a bit more tomato flavour & less watermelon, just increase/reduce the quantity accordingly.
💡 For traditional Andalucian Gazpacho, use all tomatoes & use garlic instead of chilli.
Method:
🔪Dice everything so it is easier to blend & then blend to a smooth consistency.
🔪Chill in the fridge
🔪Serve in small glasses (or bowls if you prefer) Decorate with finely chopped tomatoes, watermelon & onions etc
