Watermelon Gazpacho

As much as we love to spend time in the kitchen, this time of the year we prefer to stay outside. So when we are inside, preparing a meal, we usually make a short story out of it. Throw some salad in a bowl or blend a few vegetables into a soup.

One of the things that we’ve been quite obsessed about this summer is Gazpacho. We’ve tried different recipes every time; a classic recipe, a mango version, a white gazpacho (we might actually make a post of that too) … But the gazpacho that stayed in our mind was the one where watermelon replaced the tomato juice. It made it a little sweeter and a lot fresher than a classic recipe. And it is super easy to make: chop, blend, freeze, eat.

We served it in small glasses and had as a starter, but you could just as well put it in bowls and have it as a light dinner, maybe together with a slice of our lemon spelt bread?

Before we move on to the recipe I just want to say that I love these pictures! This time my talented sister helped us out and we took them in the evening sun. She works as a photographer, shooting for both glossy travel magazines and cool literary magazines. She has also been my photographic mentor, teaching me about natural light, reflectors and raw format. And when she helps us out she always seems to not only make the food look great but also catch that vibrant feeling.

Watermelon Gazpacho (adapted from simple blueprint)
Serves 8 as a starter or 4 as a dinner

6 cups watermelon, seeded and diced in 1-inch dices
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium size tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
fresh ginger, about 1 inch, peeled and minced
1/2 chili pepper
juice from 2 limes
handfull of fresh basil
salt & black pepper

Put 5-6 dices of the watermelon and a couple of celery pieces in each of the 8 glasses. Pour the rest of it in a blender or a food processor together with all the other ingredients. Pulse it until it’s got soup consistency, taste it and add more salt & pepper if needed. Divide it in the glasses and set them in the freezer or fridge (depending on how soon you serve it), it should be cold but not frozen. Serve with a thin slice of watermelon attached to the glass.

Photos by: Johanna Frenkel