White gazpacho is a classic Spanish chilled soup. A little sweet, a little tart, yet quite mild, it’s simple and satisfying. And it’s great for a summer supper. This version isn’t a truly ancient Ajo Blanco- ( ajo or aji means garlic). It’s an entry level white gazpacho riff that’s family friendly fare. Lots of little kids to serve? Double the honey. Want a fun garnish and have an extra 30 minutes? Cut the grapes in half and freeze before making the soup; then top the soup with grapes just before serving. Want to serve a more discerning crowd? Add 12 cloves of roasted garlic, a tablespoon of parchingly dry sherry and omit the honey.
Ingredients
- 2 cups seedless green grapes (about ¾ pound), plus more for garnish, halved
- 6 peeled kirby cukes or 3 peeled, seeded Persian or 1 large peeled, seeded English cucumbers, cut into rough 1-inch dice (about 4½ cups)
- 1 cup (1-inch cubes) crustless, soft sourdough bread
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups plain kefir (fermented milk beverage) or plain Israeli laban (yogurt beverage)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mild honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted almond oil
- 1 cup toasted, salted, slivered almonds, garnish
Instructions
- If you would like to garnish the soup with frozen grapes, place a handful of halved grapes on a small tray or plate, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes (don’t freeze the 2 cups of grapes, though).
- In the bowl of a food processor or large blender, combine the cukes, the 2 cups grapes, bread, salt, kefir or laban, vinegar, and honey and blend until smooth.
- With the processor or blender running, drizzle in the oil. It is ready to serve now, but excellent fully chilled. It will keep for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator, but will need to be reblended before serving.
- When you are ready to serve, divide the reserved sliced grapes and almonds among the bowls and serve.