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Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

by Frankie Scanlon

Yield: Serves 4-6.
Time Estimate: 20 Minutes, plus chilling time.
Storage Notes: Can be kept refrigerated stored for up to 2 days.
Difficulty: Easy.

Well made, ice cold gazpacho on a hot summer day may just be the perfect lunch. This watermelon gazpacho isn't some take-it-or-leave it soup, this is a rich, sweet, spicy, tangy, refreshing flavorful dish that delivers on the best of summer's bounty. We skip the bread, turn up the olive oil, and add a zippy Bougie BBQ kick to this recipe: a memorable gazpacho to judge all others against.

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium seedless watermelon
  • 3/4ths Cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6-8 Tbs Extra Spicy Bayou Boil BBQ Seasoning
  • 1/2 Lemon
  • 1/2 Lime
  • 4 Large ripe tomatoes
  • 2 Cherry tomatoes
  • 2 Telegraph cucumbers
  • 2 Whole shallots
  • 2 Cloves garlic

    Directions 

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, and prepare an accompanying ice bath.
    • Blanche whole tomatoes for 30 seconds or so in boiling water, then transfer immediately to the ice bath. Peel, rough chop whole, and add to a large mixing bowl.
    • Cut watermelon into slices, discard rinds (or save for quick pickling), rough chop, and likewise add to bowl.
    • Peel cucumbers in strips, leaving tiger stripes of skin on. Slice into rounds and discard ends. Reserve around a 2" piece chunk, mincing and reserving, rough chop the rest, and add to bowl.
    • Mince cherry tomatoes, and reserve.
    • Peel garlic and shallots, dicing as finely as you can, and add to bowl.
    • Zest 1/2 of the lemon and lime, and reserve. Juice, squeezing directly into the bowl.
    • Working in batches, ladle around 1/3rd of the contents of the mixing bowl into a food processor, with 1/3rd of the olive oil, and pulse 2-3 times.
    • Return to mixing bowl, stir, and repeat twice more. You're aiming for a uneven, textured consistency, somewhere between salsa and soup.
    • Once pureed to your liking, stir in 6 Tbs Extra Spicy Bayou BBQ Boil.
    • Cover and refrigerate, for at least 4 hours, or until well chilled.
    • Stir and add 2 more Tbs Extra Spicy Bayou BBQ Boil, or more, to taste.
    • Ladle gazpacho into chilled bowls, garnishing with reserved chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and a final small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
    • Serve with a light dusting of lemon and lime zests. 
    • Make lunchtime an occasion: serve with chilled spoons, straight from the fridge.
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