Gazpacho comes in many variations. This version is made with watermelon and cucumber. It has a drizzle of chili oil for extra pizzazz. Watermelon Gazpacho with Cucumber and Chili Oil.
Ingredients
- 12 dried thai bird chilis
- ½ cup peanut oil
- 2 cup watermelon chunks (no rinds)
- 2 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 seedless cucumbers, peeled & neatly chopped in to ¼‑inch cubes
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup limejuice
- ¼ cup red-wine vinegar
- 1 large red onion, roughly chopped
Directions
Make the chili oil: Roughly chop the dried chilis. Add the oil to a small sauce pan. Using a candy thermometer, heat the oil to about 230 degrees F. Like all hot oil infusions, the secret to making chili oil lies in getting the temperature of the heated oil just right. Too cool and the oil won’t absorb the flavors; too hot and the chili flakes will burn. Add the chopped chilis and cook until the oil become reddish, about 12 minutes. Monitor the temperature during cooking. To make it even spicier, add more dried chilis or reduce the oil to ⅓ cup. The chili oil can be used almost immediately, but for best results leave the chilis in the oil for a day to allow the flavors to blend. Strain before using.
Make the gazpacho: In a blender, puree the watermelon, tomatoes, half of the cucumber, and the onion. Pour in the red wine vinegar, lime juice and olive oil, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. You may serve it just like this or pass it through a fine meshed sieve removing any of the solids if you want a more elegant presentation. Chill the soup for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
Pour the gazpacho into chilled bowls and sprinkle with remaining cucumbers and a drizzle of the chili oil. Serve.
I really think it would be a tart. Maybe even THIS tart.
Oooh I recently made something similar and it was so delicious. Yours is beautiful and tempting.
A lovely tart! I like the olives and feta here!
This reminds me of the year I decided to grow yellow squash in my garden, right next to the pumpkin patch. How was I supposed to know they would cross-pollinate. I ended up with yellowy-orange squash that looked like they were pregnant. I’m putting this on my “must try list.” Thanks.
But now I love it. Fried squash is my favorite but this tart looks rather awesome too, Greg.
But yes, you are much too young to go to the light, you Carol Ann impersonator you;)
I mean it — this tart has truly hit the spot. Because why? Because I just made my own feta cheese and have been dreaming up different ways of using it. I have yet to post about my feta feat, but I have been feeling very pleased about it.
I might just have to make a tart to celebrate and then “keep eating until it is finished” 🙂
Foggy in Chicago this morning too. Didn’t realized you were based in LA. It’s home for me and I miss it.
Forwarded this recipe to my professor, who picked up some squash at the Evanston farmer’s market this Saturday. I’ll have to bookmark this for next week, the next farmer’s market.
wow this is fab just added you to my blog roll should have done it ages ago
Rebecca
Love the use of market fresh and seasonal squashes!! :
until it is finished.” Good advice. Very good advice.
Such a lovely tart! I used to live in Half Moon Bay so I’m very familiar with that marine layer, or course ours was year round.
Taking the ‘boring’ out of it for sure! This is on my ‘to make’ list…
I loved it when I would visit my friend Tiffany in San Francisco and she lived only six blocks from the water and the mystic ship story marine layer was rolling out on a morning walk…
Oh Greg, that looks so good. I wish my family liked squash, I would make this tomorrow. Although, I will say…phyllo dough sort of intimidates me. But I’m working on that.
That is lovely looking. I think you should call it Squashokopita (like spanokopita). Really enjoyed the line about the mother licking every strawberry.
That’s an amazing use of some really colorful squash! Nice work as always greg.
The olives looks like a really nice touch. Adds a bit of saltiness to the dish.
I lived up in the Hollywood Hills for 5 years and can picture exactly what you mean…
as for the tart — fantastic. Just made Baklava. Now I know what to do with the leftover phyllo. thanks!
We truly do have the fog roll in at the higher elevation we live at, however the marine layer is prevalent closer to the city almost every morning. A nice change from the constant sunshine ( can’t believe I just said that)
I am so excited that summer squash is appearing at the market, it’s one of my favorites!