Green Gazpacho

I know I may be in the minority, but I love cold soup. I love soup, in general, but the cold stuff is awesome. It is usually super easy to prepare, too. I got this recipe from my mom and it was the perfect lunch for a sweltering Saturday. This soup was deliciously creamy and surprisingly filling. It had great flavor. I used 1 whole un-seeded jalapeno and it was just the perfect amount of heat for us spice lovers. The chunky garnish was a nice mix of consistency with the smooth soup.

Ingredients:

2 medium tomatoes, stemmed, cored and cut into quarters

1 large (unpeeled) cucumber, scrubbed and cut into large chunks

Flesh from 1 avocado, cut into large chunks

6 large basil leaves

1 jalapeno pepper

1 cup lightly packed watercress
1 rib celery, cut into large chunks

4 small shallot lobes, cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste

2 tablespoons honey

4 ice cubes

Filtered water, as needed
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Additional basil, for garnish

Directions:

Reserve a small amount of tomato, cucmber and avocado chunks. Combine and finely chop for garnish. Set aside.

Stem and seed jalapeno. Reserve the seeds. Cut the jalapeno into large chunks and place in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining tomato, cucumber, and avocado. Add the basil, watercresss, celery, shallots, garlic, red wine vinegar, honey and ice cubes. Process until pureed and smooth.

Add up to 1/4 cup water and process to thin the soup, as needed. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and additional vinegar, if needed, processing after each addition. For a spicier soup, add some of the reserved jalapeno seeds, a few at a time, blending and tasting after each additiona to achieve desired amount of heat.

Pour the soup into bowls and top with reserved tomato garnish mixture, and additional basil leaves. Drizzle the olive oil over the soup and serve.

Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Adapted from The Washington Post.

 

Linked to TMTT At the Well and Home Sweet Farm Delectable Tuesday.