Watermelon Gazpacho
Watermelon Gazpacho
5 cups seedless watermelon flesh, rough chopped
2 ripe garden tomatoes, quartered and rough chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and rough chopped
1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper, seeded and rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
5 fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in deep bowl and blend ingredients with immersion hand blender or food processor until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve chilled.
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As a native Northerner, I seldom complain about the heat of the South due my formative years spent in the frozen tundra of the Midwest. I actually do like the warmer weather so when the heat turns up in the middle of July, check your garden (or your neighbors garden 😉 for this next recipe to help keep you cool. The watermelon is abundant and is an excellent source of lycopene along with the fresh tomatoes. The cucumbers are wonderful for cooling the body and is loaded with all around nutrition as well. Turn it up even more with a little heat from the hot pepper to create a spicy sweet starter to impress your guests with this summertime favorite. Lime, cilantro and basil really give this gazpacho an opportunity to WOW and take flavors to the next level. It is a garden in a glass with a simple little prep to create a delicious complement to what you are having for your dinner on any hot, sultry summer night. Cheers!
