Chef John's White Gazpacho
Description
Chef John's chilled puréed white gazpacho soup recipe includes cucumbers, grapes, almonds, and bread cubes. It's an elegant first course on a summer day.
Ingredients
•
1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 cup leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise
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2 English cucumbers - peeled, quartered and chopped
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1 1/2 cups cold water, or more as needed
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1 cup French bread cubes
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1/3 cup creme fraiche
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1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
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8 green grapes
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2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
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1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
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salt, plus more to taste
Directions
1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cool.
2
Combine cooled leeks, cucumbers, water, bread cubes, crème fraîche, almonds, grapes, vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a blender; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
3
Season with cayenne pepper and salt; taste and add more vinegar if desired. Garnish servings with dill oil (see Chef's Note), thinly sliced grapes, slivered almonds, and fresh dill.