Beat the Heat Recipe: Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho

Cold soups satisfy in summer. Refreshing and light, this one is a bowlful of luscious tomatoes, juicy melons, and bright berries, an easy and elegant way to start a meal. You’ll find that the flavors become more complex and full if you prepare it one or more days before serving.

This recipe is from the Portland Farmers Market Cookbook, now for sale! Get your copy here so you can enjoy this recipe and 99 more.

By Gregory Gourdet, Executive Chef, Departure

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound red heirloom tomatoes
• 1 pound watermelon, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 small red jalapeño, coarsely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, smashed
• 2-inch knob ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
• 2 TBSP fine sea salt
• 1 TBSP sugar
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

For the raspberry ice

• 2 pints (about 4 cups) raspberries
• 2 TBSP candied ginger
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

For the pickled berries

• 1 1/3 cups hulled, sliced strawberries
• 1 pint (about 2 cups) raspberries
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 small hot red chili, thinly sliced

Method:

1. Core the tomatoes, cut them in half horizontally, scoop out the seeds and reserve them. Roughly chop the remaining flesh. Put the seed pulp in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and press lightly with the back of a spoon to extract all of the juice. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the watermelon, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, vinegar, salt and sugar. Add the tomato juice and, working in batches, puree the ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Chill until cold.
2. To make the raspberry ice, combine the raspberries in the jar of a blender with 13/4 cups water, the candied ginger, sugar, and salt. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow pan. Place the pan in the freezer and freeze until the mixture is firm, 4 hours to overnight. Stir the ice with a fork every 30 minutes or so to prevent it from freezing into a solid block.
3. To make the pickled berries, in a medium nonreactive bowl,combine the strawberries and raspberries. In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup with the vinegar, add the chili, and pour the pickling liquid over the berries. Gently stir to coat the berries with the liquid, being careful not to crush the raspberries.
4. To serve, break the ice up with a fork, so that it has a flaky, feathery texture. Pour the chilled soup into 4 bowls, garnishing with almost the same amount of raspberry ice. Add some pickled berries with a few drops of their juice. Drizzle each bowl with some oil, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and garnish with plenty of cilantro and mint. Serve immediately.