once upon a chef
– 3 cups cubed watermelon (1-inch cubes) – 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped – 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped – ½ English/hothouse cucumber, roughly chopped – 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped – 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped – ½ a red chile pepper – Juice of 2 limes – Handful fresh basil leaves – ½ teaspoon salt – ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper – 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Adapted from Juice Manifesto by Andrew Cooper, this watermelon gazpacho is a fun twist on the classic Spanish cold soup. Ginger and chile give the soup a little kick, playing off the sweetness of the watermelon and acidity of the lime.
To begin, set aside 3-4 cubes of watermelon, a couple of celery pieces, and a few leaves of basil to use as a garnish for the soup.
Put the remaining ingredients into a blender (if you run out of room, blend the vegetables for a few seconds to make more space for the other ingredients). Then pulse until it reaches a soup-like consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then chill the gazpacho in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Serve in bowls or glasses topped with finely chopped watermelon, celery and basil.