It's another warm day here in Boston, so I've been rummaging through my freezer looking for cold food to cool me down. Here's what jumped out at me today!
For the fourth of July I had bought a huge watermelon on sale at Whole Foods. It was huge and delicious, but I couldn't eat it all before it would start to turn. So, what's a thrifty girl to do? Freeze it! I cut it up into lots of pieces, and tucked them into several zipper freezer bags.
Here I am a week later with a half of a watermelon, cubed and frozen What to do? Why Watermelon Sorbet, of course!
Whir the frozen watermelon in the food processor until it looks like watermelon slush. You could stop here, and enjoy a simple fruit treat.
I went a little further, and added:
Juice of one lime (I started with one 1/2, and added more to taste)
1/4 to 1/3 cup of white sugar (to taste)
If the watermelon is too slushy for your liking at this point, put it back into the freezer for at least a half hour.
Pulse with the food processor again, then serve with fresh mint in a dessert cup.
If I had been able to wait, I would have left it in the freezer for a little longer. It was delicious, both sweet and fresh.
It's been an interminably warm summer here in Boston, including heat in the 90s and humidity to match. When it's this hot out I tend to hide and make cool things to eat. This morning I woke up with a hankering for a cool soup. I looked through my provisions finding watermelon, cucumber, onion, heirloom tomatoes, green chiles and garlic scapes. I can make something from that!!
I started with the watermelon. Isn't it beautiful?
Do you see the amazing swirl patterns it's got hidden in it? I think I might make a print of this photo for my kitchen wall. Something to warm the place up when the snow starts in September...
I used a half of a large watermelon under a good chop. I want there to be distinguishable pieces of watermelon that you will find in your watermelon gazpacho.
Be prepared for lots of watermelon juice to escape off the side of your cutting board. I saved most of it for use in the gazpacho, but I've also put a cup or so away for a watermelon spritzer later.
Drip, drip, drip.
Next, chop up one large cucumber. I peeled a little of the skin off, but I keep the seeds and pulp on the cucumber. I want as many vitamins as possible from this dish, as well as many textures!
Then, pulse the tomatoes in your blender. I used about 30 mini heirloom tomatoes of different colors. Again, I leave the skin and seeds on. The blender pulverizes them, and more vitamins!
Next, chop the onion. I used 1/2 of a large yellow onion, minced. We want the onion flavor, but no one likes chomping down on a big raw piece.
Then I added 1 can of Trader Joe's Diced Green Chiles. These give the gazpacho a little extra flavor without being hot. Just a little zing!
Finally, I mixed it all together, with some paprika and chile powder (about 1 teaspoon of each, add more if you like it hot). Then, I added 1 minced garlic scape to the top for garnish and some really great garlic flavor.
I am having this for breakfast this morning. No joking. It's a wonderful way to get your vegetables in early. The sweetness of the watermelon, the crunch of the cucumber and onion, make it great start to my day.
I hope you enjoy too!
Here's a printable recipe:
Watermelon Gazpacho
1 large cucumber, lightly peeled and coarse chopped
1/2 large watermelon, coarse chopped
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 can of diced chiles (Trader Joe's or Ole)
1 tsp Chile Powder (or more to taste)
1 tsp Paprika (or more to taste)
1 garlic scape minced or 1/2 tsp of minced garlic
30 mini heirloom tomatoes or 4-6 regular red tomatoes
Chop the watermelon into bite sized pieces. You want there to be distinguishable pieces of watermelon that you will find in your watermelon gazpacho.
Next, chop up one large cucumber. Peeled a little of the skin off, but keep the seeds and pulp on the cucumber.
Then, pulse the tomatoes in your blender until the mixture is frothy and you see no distinguishable pieces. Again, leave the skin and seeds.
Next, chop the onion. I used 1/2 of a large yellow onion, minced.
Then add 1 can of Trader Joe's Diced Green Chiles.
Finally, mix it all together, with the paprika and chile powder (about 1 teaspoon of each, add more if you like it hot). Then, add 1 minced garlic scape to the top for garnish. If you are using regular garlic, go ahead and mix it in completely.
