Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho with Toasted Almonds

One of my longtime favorite salads is the Watermelon, Tomatoes, Cukes, Pinenuts, Arugula, Feta, Currants, Basil-Mint, Pom Vin served in the summer at Urban Solace. Not unlike my recent Peach Tomato Panzanella the watermelon in Urban Solace's salad is a perfect foil for tomatoes--and the combo is so refreshing in the heat of the season.

So when I came across this gazpacho in Serious Eats that features watermelon with tomatoes you know I'd have to play with it and then share it with you. After all, you need a break. It's hot and sticky (You can see how humid it is just by looking at those thick clouds off to the east; oh, do they make me wince).

Instead of prepping a hot soup that you can then chill, here's a cold summer soup that requires only the patience of waiting for flavors to come together in the fridge, not of schvitzing over a hot stove. The big activities are roughly chopping the fruit and vegetable ingredients and, after they have been mixed together with salt and marinated for an hour to bring out more flavors, puréeing them into soup in your blender. So easy!

So, what besides the watermelon makes this gazpacho unique? Well, first, let's not under rate the value of the watermelon since who doesn't love a cold slice in 90° temps plus high humidity? Add that splendid sweet juiciness to a traditional tomato soup and you'll be sighing in happiness. But the other factor is the substitution of toasted almonds for bread. Now we have a light, low-carb summer soup that adds nuttiness and creaminess.

Like a little heat to offset the sweetness? Me, too. So I added a couple of seeded Serrano peppers from my garden to the soup. It won't blow your top, but it will give your mouth a little zing, along with the acid of the sherry vinegar.

Top this light soup with crema, sour cream, or, as I did, some crumbles of goat cheese.

Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho with Toasted Almonds
Adapted from Serious Eats
Yield: 2 quarts
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
6 cups watermelon, roughly diced
2 medium tomatoes, roughly diced
1 medium cucumber, roughly diced
1/2 medium red onion, roughly diced
2 Serrano peppers, seeded and roughly diced
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
1/3 cup crema, sour cream, or goat cheese
Additional diced vegetables for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, peppers, toasted almonds, kosher salt, and pepper. Set aside to marinate for about an hour.

2. In a blender, working in batches, purée the vegetables and their liquid until smooth and creamy. Transfer the soup into a large bowl. Whisk in the sherry vinegar and olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper (and even the sherry vinegar, if necessary, to balance the acid).
3. Cover soup and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Taste and further adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle soup in bowls and garnish with the crema and diced vegetables.

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