White Gazpacho With Grapes And Toasted Almonds Recipes

WHITE GAZPACHO WITH MELON, GRAPES, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Put the blanched almonds in a blender with 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. Puree until totally smooth, then add the bread and melon and puree again. You will most likely need to puree the melon in batches. After pureeing one batch, pour out all but one cup of the liquid and then add the next batch. Season well with salt and white pepper. If the soup needs more acid, add the remaining lemon juice. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little water, but if the melons are really ripe, this shouldn't be a problem. Serve slightly chilled. Garnish with toasted almonds, grapes, and a swirl of creme fraiche.

CHEF JOHN'S WHITE GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir leeks until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool.
• Place cucumbers in a blender with grapes, almonds, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, creme fraiche, bread cubes, vinegar, cooled leeks, and water. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Taste and season with salt and cayenne pepper. If needed, add some more vinegar. Serve garnished with dill oil (see note), thinly sliced grapes, slivered almonds, and fresh dill.

WHITE GAZPACHO WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Peel grapes and set aside.
• Put almonds into food processor or electric blender.
• Mix bread crumbs with milk in bowl and add mixture plus garlic to container. Start blending and gradually add olive oil through funnel of food processor. Continue blending 5 minutes after last of oil is added. Add salt to taste.
• Gradually add ice water through funnel.
• Add vinegar and blend.
• Serve very cold in cold bowls with the grapes separate.

ALMOND GRAPE GAZPACHO

Steps:

• For the gazpacho: Place garlic cloves in a small pan of cold water over high heat. When water comes to a boil, strain garlic and chill until needed. Cover stale bread cubes with water and allow to sit until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Squeeze all the water from bread and put into a blender with almonds, grapes and garlic cloves. Season with a bit of salt and purée until mixture is very smooth, almost like mashed potatoes; if necessary drizzle in a bit of water to help mixture to purée.
• Place 1 cup ice-cold water in a measuring cup. Place olive oil in another cup. With blender running, slowly drizzle in both liquids, simultaneously, through opening of blender. Gazpacho will turn very smooth and silky. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar or more, if desired. Adjust salt to taste. To thin soup, if desired, add 1 to 3 tablespoons cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until very cold, about 2 hours.
• For garnish and serving: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle oil over diced bread and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, and add grapes, almonds and scallion. Add a drizzle of oil and a small sprinkling of vinegar and salt. To serve, ladle gazpacho into four chilled soup plates. Add garnish, and drizzle with more oil.