Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho

Mumbai Summer makes me almost want to give up on having dinner. I prefer keeping it light and what would be a better way to do that than by treating yourself to some delish summer salads. But eating salads every day can get a little monotonous. Now I prefer having a bowl of soup rather than salads when I am trying to eat healthy. But a bowl of hot soup in this weather doesn't sound very appetizing now, does it? So I thought why not give the old Chilled Spanish Gazpacho a try.

I started searching for some recipes and all I could find was a tomato Gazpacho recipe and I wanted to try something different and with seasonal ingredients. After much research, I came across an interesting Gazpacho recipe using the good old watermelons. Watermelons are in season and they are juicy, sweet and fresh. So, of course, I had to give it a try. I made myself a bowl and I absolutely fell in love with this recipe. It's super easy to make and its fresh, cooling, healthy, nutritious, tasty, colorful and perfect for a filling dinner on a hot day.

Here is the recipe for Watermelon Gazpacho:

Ingredients:

• 8 cups finely diced seedless watermelon,
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Mix watermelon, cucumber, bell pepper, basil, parsley, vinegar, shallot, oil and salt in a large bowl. Puree 3 cups of the mixture in a blender or food processor to the desired smoothness; transfer to another large bowl. Puree another 3 cups and add to the bowl. Stir in the remaining diced mixture. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Make-Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Image Source: http://cookingstoned.tv/recipe/spicy-watermelon-gazpacho-soup/ Recipe Link http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/watermelon_gazpacho.html