Author Notes: Want to drink a cool summer soup from a glass? Do not turn on your oven. Do not reach for the broth. Start gathering together the elements of a salad — the olive oil, the sherry vinegar, some blanched almonds, the bread for croutons, and a few garlic cloves. Then take a sharp turn and pull out your food processor. Whiz together the almonds, bread and garlic. Add vinegar and salt, then stream in oil and ice water, and your soup — courtesy of food writer, Penelope Casas, who imported it from Malaga, Spain, for us — is made. I like it strained and sharpened with some more vinegar before serving. Casas adds shrimp and green grapes. I snub them both in favor of droplets of sweet cantaloupe. —Amanda Hesser
Serves: 4
Ingredients
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One 6-inch piece firm-textured French baguette
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1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
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2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
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2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 cup mild extra virgin olive oil
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4 cups ice water
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32 tiny balls cantaloupe
Directions
- Soak the bread in some water and squeeze dry. Place it in a food processor, add the almonds and garlic, and blend until a fine-textured puree (don’t let it turn to nut butter). Add the vinegar and salt, and with the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Gradually pour in the water.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Before serving, taste for salt and vinegar and adjust if necessary. Serve in glass tumblers and garnish each serving with 8 cantaloupe balls.
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The ingredients for the gazpacho: melon, slivered almonds, cubes of bread, garlic, sherry vinegar, olive oil. Trust us.
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Use bright, fresh cantaloupe.
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Answering the question, "Do I need a mini-mellon baller?" Yes — yes, you do.
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Amanda slices up her baguette.
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Then, soaks it in water.
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After a good soak, time to squeeze out the water like a spunge.
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In it goes into the food processor.
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Along with blanched almonds …
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Round and round we go.
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Now a little wetness from the vinegar to pull thing together.
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And, of course, the olive oil.
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Fear not — all will be well soon enough, as the water has yet to be added.
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In goes the ice water — oh the glory of your Cuisinart.
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Tiny bubbles — so pretty.
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To give it a smooth finish, Amanda strains the soup.
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Calling all lovers of creaminess. We just couldn't stop swirling it around with the spoonula.
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"Plop, plop" go the melon balls into the soup. Simply summer and delicious.
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