Cantaloupe-Harbanero Gazpacho
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Latin
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8-12
 
Sweet and savory with the fruity heat of harbanero chili. Served creamy and cold Andalusian style. May be served with either Dungeness or Lump Crab meat.
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe cantaloupes (12-16 cups cut up)
  • 1 english cucumber (1 cup cut up)
  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper (1 cup cut up)
  • 1 harbanero chili (used about ½ teaspoon, chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 slices white bread, cubed with crust removed
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
Prep Vegetables
  1. Wash cantaloupe before removing rind (there may be pesticide residue on non-organic commercially grown produce) Cut melon into chunks.
  2. Peel cucumber and cut into pieces. Halve tomatoes.
Collect Juices
  1. Assemble cut all fruit and vegetables in layers in a strainer over large bowl. Sprinkle each layer with a little kosher salt. This will help extract the juices. Let mixture sit and drain for about 30 minutes.
Soak Bread Cubes
  1. Remove strainer and add lemon juice and sherry vinegar and bread cubes to the collected liquid, stir to make sure all liquid is absorbed. Note: you will want to use mild tasting bread, not sourdough so the flavor of the bread doesn't overwhelm the delicate flavor of the soup)
Process
  1. Some recipes will have you place your fruit and vegetables mixture in the freezer at this point to chill them down before blending. This is a good idea for a make ahead step and allow you to time the blending and serving of your gazpacho to suit your needs as it all will be well chilled and can be served immediately. Alternately, I used the following steps and chilled the soup for a few hours before serving.
  2. Working in about two batches, add soaked bread, orange juice, fruit and vegetables on high in your food processor (or blender) for several minutes to fully puree your mixture. Slowly drizzle half of the olive oil and continue to blend on high speed. The olive oil will emulisify the gazpacho.
  3. Pour each batch into a large fine meshed sieve and work through. This will remove any remaining seeds or fleshy chunks and results in a very cream gazpacho.
Chill
  1. Place liquid in a large bowl and cover. Chill in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Garnish and Serve
  1. Ladle about 8 ounces in individual bowls, drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro. Or if you grow or can find them, cilantro microgreens.
Notes
Add Crab! As special treat, add ⅛th to ¼th cup of Dungeness or Lump Crab to the center of each bowl, then drizzle and sprinkle with your garnishes
Recipe by What about the food? at https://whataboutthefood.com/cantaloupe-harbanero-gazpacho/