RECIPE I Gazpacho à la Benoît

Summer will soon be at its peak… or so we hope with the weak spring in our minds… this week we will have some more rain but according to the forecasts the heat will come our way after that. We are already here with some new inspiration to make the days more pleasant wine & food-wise. This fresh gazpacho with watermelon is a perfect dish to cool down and enjoy the abundance of fresh vegetables and fruit, this is by the way one of Benoît's recipes, which he managed to get hold of during one of his internships abroad. This classic Spanish cold soup makes for a light, hydrating and irresistibly refreshing meal.

Matching wines with this gazpacho:

1. Pardevalles albarin 2023 I Tierra de Léon I Spain
2. Manincor la Manina 2022 I Alto Adige I Italy
3. Domaine de Valdition Blanc 2023 I Provence I France

Ingredients:

- 2 kg ripe (sweet) tomatoes, coarsely chopped

- 2 cucumbers, coarsely chopped

- 2 chopped onions

- 4 cloves of garlic

- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into large pieces

- 1/2 watermelon

- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preparation method:

1. Cut the vegetables and watermelon and place open on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle generously with olive oil. Preferably let the vegetables marinate overnight with the olive oil and herbs, if you don't have that time? Then make the gazpacho in the morning for the afternoon/evening.

2. Blend the vegetable mixture in a blender or with a hand blender until smooth. You can make the soup as fine or coarse as you like, by adding some chicken stock/water if necessary.

3. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to the pureed soup to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, do you like a fresh sour taste? Then add some lemon juice or red wine vinegar. For a thinner gazpacho you can add a little cold water until the desired consistency is reached.

4. Pour the soup into a large bowl or individual bowls and refrigerate. Let the gazpacho cool for at least 2 hours, but preferably longer, so that the flavors can develop.

5. Serve the gazpacho cold, garnished with diced tomatoes and fresh herbs such as basil or mint.

Perfect for a summer lunch, starter or as part of a tapas evening. Enjoy!