Summer

White Gazpacho with Cantaloupe

September 14, 2010
5
3 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Want to drink a cool summer soup from a glass? Do not turn on your oven. Do not reach for the broth. Start gathering together the elements of a salad -- the olive oil, the sherry vinegar, some blanched almonds, the bread for croutons, and a few garlic cloves. Then take a sharp turn and pull out your food processor. Whiz together the almonds, bread and garlic. Add vinegar and salt, then stream in oil and ice water, and your soup -- courtesy of food writer, Penelope Casas, who imported it from Malaga, Spain, for us -- is made. I like it strained and sharpened with some more vinegar before serving. Casas adds shrimp and green grapes. I snub them both in favor of droplets of sweet cantaloupe. —Amanda Hesser

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • One 6-inch piece firm-textured French baguette
  • 1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
  • 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup mild extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups ice water
  • 32 tiny balls cantaloupe
Directions
  1. Soak the bread in some water and squeeze dry. Place it in a food processor, add the almonds and garlic, and blend until a fine-textured puree (don't let it turn to nut butter). Add the vinegar and salt, and with the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Gradually pour in the water.
  2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Before serving, taste for salt and vinegar and adjust if necessary. Serve in glass tumblers and garnish each serving with 8 cantaloupe balls.

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Amanda Hesser

Recipe by: Amanda Hesser

Before starting Food52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addison.

1 Review

walkie74 August 4, 2013
I made this for a tapas night, and it went over really well. Now everyone wants the recipe!