So here’s the deal.
I like to think of myself as practical.
Wait.
Everyone who knows me just collapsed into laughter. They’re rolling their eyes, snorting, and shaking their heads all at once. Okay, maybe “practical” isn’t quite right.
Normal? Not really. Traditional? That works better—up to a point.
Here’s my stance: soup should be warm. It’s just how I feel. Chilled soup feels like a different category entirely. I can appreciate gazpacho, but the idea of a bowl of intensely pureed vegetables doesn’t exactly excite me.
Right. That’s what I thought.
The only time I’ll accept that intense vegetable puree is if it’s served with a big, salt-rimmed glass of tequila, citrus, and a basket of thin, freshly fried blue corn chips dusted with coarse salt.
Now we’re talking.
To make chilled soup more appealing to me, I add fruit. I try to downplay the vegetable vibes and serve it with several toasted crostini topped with melted brie or something equally indulgent.
I love tweaking classic recipes, and this version—topped with creamy avocado chunks, plenty of salt, fresh peach pieces and a generous handful of cilantro (don’t knock it)—is one of my favorites right now. I’m still undecided on whether it’s officially “soup,” but I’m enjoying the relationship.
Strawberry Peach Gazpacho
6
to 8 as a starter
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Ingredients
- 1 large seedless cucumber, chopped
- 10–12 large strawberries, chopped
- 2 ripe peaches, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 4 medium tomatoes, somewhat seeded and chopped
- 4 cups tomato juice
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 avocado, chopped
- Fresh cilantro for topping
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Once the cucumbers, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, onion and jalapeno are roughly chopped, add each fruit or vegetable, one at a time, to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3–4 times to chop a bit more. Transfer each to a large bowl. When everything is combined in the bowl, mix thoroughly with a spoon.
- Place half of the mixture back into the food processor and blend until smooth. Stir the puree into the remaining chopped mixture. Add the tomato juice, sherry, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a few hours if possible to let flavors meld.
- To serve, garnish with extra peach cubes, chopped avocado, cilantro and a sprinkling of salt.
Notes
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Messy is my middle name.