Smooth White Grape Gazpacho for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I have been seeing all kinds of gazpacho recipes made with almonds and white grapes in cookbooks, magazines, etc., so it has been on my "to make" list for some time. When I saw a very simple one on the (newish) show "5 Ingredient Fix" on the Food Network and also found some good grapes at Whole Foods, I decided to try it. What could be easier than five ingredients and a blender?

The recipe for the gazpacho and the other no-cook recipes from the same episode can be found at the Food Network site here.

Smooth White Grape Gazpacho

adapted from 5 Ingredient Fix, Claire Robinson

(10 minutes / 4-6 Servings)

2 1/2 cups seedless white grapes, plus more finely chopped or sliced, for garnish
1 cup regular soy milk, chilled
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped, plus more thinly sliced, for garnish
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Put the soy milk and almonds in the jar of a blender and puree until very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. With the motor running, slowly add the grapes, scallions and lime juice; season with salt and pepper and puree until well blended.

To serve, pour into a small bowls and garnish with chopped or sliced grapes and sliced scallions.

Note: Gazpacho can be served immediately but is even better if refrigerated until very cold. Stir well before serving.

Notes/Results: Good, smooth and lightly fruity. Not my favorite gazpacho ever, I still prefer more savory, tomato based ones but it was nice for a change. I realized the only soy milk I had in the house was a vanilla one, so I substituted some plain almond milk, which works just as well. This soup goes together quickly and easily--just make sure to puree it until it is very smooth. It tastes good when first made but I agree with the recipe notes, it is much better when served very cold. I might make it again as a first course for a light summer lunch or dinner.

It looks like we have a good-sized group in the Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sunday Kitchen today, including some new faces. Let's see what everyone made.

Say hello to another Deb! Debs from Deb Cooks: "An English Girl, Living in Spain, Addicted to Cooking." Joining us for the first time, Debs brought a curry that eats more like a soup, her Jungle Curry of Guinea Fowl. She says, "A traditional wild food country curry from the north-central region of Thailand, this dish can be made using any game, fish or chicken. To be honest it was a very soup like consistency and therefore I question whether it is a curry or a soup. Nonetheless, it has a very good flavour and I would make it again, but I think it would be best served with noodles and eaten more like a soup."

Natashya from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies made her own perfect little wontons to go into her Beijing Wonton Tang (or Beijing Wontons in Rich Broth). Being a multi-tasking kind of gal, this beautiful bowl of savory soup was also her entry for Cook the Books: "The Last Chinese Chef" (Catch the CTB round-up by yours truly here, but be ready to drool!). Natashya says the soup was, "A delicious meal that my family loved. Enjoy!" I say can you ship a bowl to Hawaii?! Pretty please!

Welcome Faith from Thought 4 Food, joining us from Buffalo, NY and making her first visit to the Souper Sunday kitchen. Faith is transitioning into her favorite season, autumn, with this lovely Roasted Vegetable Ravioli in Vegetable Broth. Faith says, "With its roasted vegetables and warm broth, this soup is the perfect introduction to fall. The roasted vegetable and Neufchatel filling for this ravioli would also be delicious tossed with some pasta or spread on crostini…that way you would get to see its pretty rosy color!"

I'm pretty sure it is also the first time participating in Souper Sundays for Natasha from 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures, hailing from Northern Virginia, (although since she pops by often with comments I feel like she is an old friend!). Natasha stumbled upon a stand of hatch chilies in front of her local Wegman's and grabbed up a bunch. She says, "The green Hatch chiles were sweet and juicy with just a little bit of a spicy kick, and perfect as a featured ingredient for a refreshing gazpacho. This Hatch Chile Gazpacho is delightful for these hot August days."

Also highlighting chilies this week, in this case chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, is Kait from Pots and Plots, who made this spicy, filling Chipotle Chicken Soup, inspired by a dish she ate at a restaurant. Kait says, "I started with the vegetables I use as a base for both taco and tortilla soup, then started adding things. Since I love sweet potatoes so much with chili powder, I thought they might be a good addition to this–some sweet to help balance out the spicy."

Lissaloo from One Step at a Time is back and says that she wanted to try another fruit soup so she tried this Pretty Peach Soup. Made with peaches, raspberries and yogurt, Lissaloo says, "Now I have decided that fruit soups are a lot like fruit smoothies, and I think I am over my fruit soup phase for now :) This was really yummy, I tested it out on my guinea pig first, um I mean daughter." Did she like it? Lissaloo says that she drained the goblet of soup and "then she asked "Can I have some more?" Ahhhh the music to every Mom's ears."

Suzie from Munch & Nibble was so enamoured of a bowl of beef borscht she tasted while on a trip to the Australian Alps and asked for the recipe. Finding out it was from a cookbook she was lucky enough to receive as a gift, she was able to make this Borscht with Horseradish Cream. Suzie says, "The borscht is one of those slow cooked meals that brings to mind the maxim that "all good things take time." The end result is delicious, and I still have two or three tupperwares of the soup in my freezer. Perfect winter sustenance!"

Corn is a favorite summer staple for Chrystal & Amir from The Duo Dishes and they made this fresh and crisp Honey Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad out of summer's bounty. They say, "We made this salad a few weeks ago for a friend’s housewarming party. It definitely has great ‘make ahead’ potential. Roast the corn early or the night before, so it has time to cool completely. But, if you’re in a pinch for time, there’s no reason why you can’t toss the warm kernels in with everything else."

Chaya from Sweet and Savory Says it All (and also Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog), is here with a hearty, crunchy Cauliflower Salad. Made with a combo of cauliflower, broccoli, peas, celery cashews and water chestnuts and dressed in a sweet and tangy mayonnaise dressing, this salad is one good way to get your daily intake of veggies in.  

With her busy schedule of orientation for medical school, bonding with her class and training for a marathon, I am surprised that Joanne from Eats Well With Others has time to breathe, let alone cook. Joanne says, "At this point in the summer, when eggplants and tomatoes abound, what makes more sense than an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich? Especially when the eggplant is grilled (or broiled in my case), layered onto some good rosemary focaccia or ciabatta with slices of tomato, sprinkled with a dusting of parmesan cheese, and then popped under the broiler again so that the cheese gets melty and the bread gets crispy? There is very little that could have satisfied me more." 

Wow! Lots of great soups--both hot and cold, a couple of delicious salads and even a yummy sandwich. Thanks to everyone who joined us this week and welcome to all of our new faces. If you have a soup, salad, sandwich or combo of any of the three that you want to share at Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays, click on the logo on the sidebar for all the details.

Have a great week!