IN MY KITCHEN - JULY

At the beginning of every month, Sherry from Sherry's Pickings invites bloggers to join her in a blog post linky called "IN MY KITCHEN" where you can get a peek into many kitchens. Anyone can join in.  I like to join in when I can. 

The past week has been brutally hot and very humid here in Pennsylvania, so we've been eating a lot of salads! This is a red cabbage, cucumber and cherry tomato salad was delicious with a lemon dressing ! See what else has been happening in my kitchen!

Summer’s Coolest Soup: Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon in Gazpacho? Now, that's something different!!

It's been extremely hot and humid this week and I've made my simple but tasty gazpacho on a few of the nights. Nothing is easier than tossing a few juicy vegetables into the blender for a delicious cold soup. 

However, this time, I added some watermelon to my basic recipe for a little variation.  It's interesting how the flavors all mingle so nicely. 

Discovering Greek Gazpacho: A Refreshing Summer Recipe

When was the last time you had a refreshing bowl of gazpacho? 

There is no better time to make chilled gazpacho than on a hot summer evening using vine ripe tomatoes harvested from the local farmer's market or maybe even your own backyard! It's so easy!

Summer produce lends gazpacho its vibrant colors, it's rich taste, and also packs a lot of essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals into this light and delightful chilled soup.

Discover what's different about this interesting gazpacho recipe

Easy Summer Gazpacho- Chilled, Thick , and Creamy

What makes this summer gazpacho thick and creamy? 

In addition to the tomatoes, cucumber, and red peppers, this chilled summer soup contains dehydrated potato flakes which gives the soup a creamy thicker consistency.

Food Processor

Gazpacho can be made in a food processor or blender, but I prefer to use the food processor to keep it somewhat chunky. For a smoother consistency, use the blender.

A refreshing chilled gazpacho hits the spot during this oppressive heat wave! (I'm in love with summer produce). Today the temperature hit almost 100 degrees- so who feels like cooking? Not me!!! 

That's the beauty of gazpacho.  It requires no cooking and uses the ripe seasonal vegetables that are flooding the farmer's market stands right now. 

I feel so good and earthy after I browse the farmer's market, select produce for the week, and go home with some of the freshest, richest tasting, wholesome, nutrient packed vegetables grown right here in Bucks County, Pa. 

The star ingredient in gazpacho is tomatoes and what better time to get sun-ripe sweet local tomatoes than in August! 

I used cherry tomatoes

You can use any type of farm/home grown tomato that you like, but I decided to use farm grown cherry tomatoes for this gazpacho. Why? 

First of all I had 3 containers of cherry tomatoes that needed to be used/eaten.  Second, I thought that the thinner skin on the cherry tomato would just disappear into the gazpacho and it did. The cherry tomatoes were sweet and less acidic making a simple very tasty gazpacho.

Sour Cream ? 

If you eat dairy (we don't), typically gazpacho is served with some sour cream. There are recipes for vegan sour cream. I found an easy recipe on the blog Cookie and Kate which is a very popular vegetarian blog that I frequent. 

Google vegan sour cream and find lots of similar recipes all over the web. Most use cashew nuts as a base for that creamy white look. Vegan sour cream is great for anyone dairy free, vegan, or kosher who needs a parve recipe.

Can gazpacho be made in advance? 

Yes! since it needs a minimum of 8 hours to chill, it is a perfect summer appetizer/starter that you can serve to guests or your family  and make it in advance. Make it in the morning and enjoy it for dinner. Or even make it the day before. Gazpacho keeps for about 4 days covered in the refrigerator. Remember to stir before serving.

Talk about adding more vegetables to your diet- Gazpacho is a winner.

Author: Judee Algazi

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: none

Serves: 2

Double the recipe to serve 4

Ingredients: 

1 pint size container of farm grown sweet cherry tomatoes, washed

1/2 large English cucumber, chopped

1/4 of a red onion, chopped

1 clove of fresh garlic, sliced in half

1/2 large red pepper or 5 colorful mini peppers, seeded and sliced

1/4 cup of potato flakes

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste)

Optional: fresh oregano, basil, hot pepper, or thyme (I did not use any)

Directions: 

Place the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and red peppers in the bowl of the food processor (or blender). Process until consistency is on the smooth side. Add potato flakes and any seasoning of choice (I only added salt). Divide between two 6 ounce cocktail glasses. Chill for at least 8 hours and serve. Garnish with chopped vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, or a little nut milk if desires.

My Notes

1. If you make this gazpacho with store bought tomatoes, it may not have the right flavor. The best flavor is from ripe and locally grown farm or homegrown produce.

2. If your produce is not as tasty, you might want to add a little vinegar or lemon juice to enhance the flavors. 

3. I did not blanch the tomatoes to remove the skin. I found the skin on the cherry tomato very thin and totally disappeared in the gazpacho and I think the skin would disappear using any tomato. Let me know if you try it.

4. I must confess that sometimes I can't wait 8 hours to eat my gazpacho. I have chilled it for as little as 4 hours. It wasn't as refreshing, but the flavor was there and I enjoyed it just the same.

5. If you do not have potato flakes (which are sold in most supermarkets)- simply leave it out. I've made it both ways and it is still very good. I buy this one- it say instant mashed potatoes from Whole Foods.