Our happy little backyard garden is still cranking out cucumbers like crazy, so I'm still attempting to find all different ways to incorporate them into our weekly meal plan. Even with giving some away we have plenty to grace our own plates. After making a cold pea and cucumber soup a few weeks ago, I got the inspiration to do another cold soup for these hot July days we're having here in Atlanta. Yes, it is basically like a smoothie, but I'm still calling it a soup since I'm eating it out of a bowl. Plus I never put a hot pepper in a smoothie.
This past weekend at the farmers market I also picked up a lovely yellow melon from one of my farmers. The local melons are just starting to come into season, so this was the first one I snagged. I had cut some up Saturday afternoon for snacks, but had plenty left to incorporate into my soup for Sunday. Of course we have plenty of mint left in our garden, as well, to add that fresh herbacious flavor to each spoonful! I was quite pleased by how it turned out.
I used a mixture of standard garden cucumbers and lemon cukes in my creation, but feel free to use whatever you have in season or locally available. I'm sure this would be lovely with honeydew or another mildly sweet melon, as well. Cucumber and melon is such a classic combination for summer meals. I'm hoping to grab a fresh watermelon sometime soon to create even more meals to use up my abundant cucumbers!
Cucumber Melon Gazpacho
Makes 4 servings
- 3 1/2 cups peeled, seeded cucumbers, roughly chopped (1/2 cup reserved for garnish)
- 3 1/2 cups peeled, seeded yellow melon or honeydew, roughly chopped (1/2 cup reserved for garnish)
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and scooped from the peel
- 1 lime, juice
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon cucumber melon white balsamic (optional but delicious!)
- 1 small hot pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
- pinch of sea salt
Place everything in the blender with the exception of your extra cucumber and melon for garnish. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Chill for about an hour then pour into individual bowls. Top with extra cucumber, melon and mint. Drizzle an extra splash of cucumber melon balsamic if you have it or an extra squeeze of lime for an extra pop of flavor!
The bowl was so light and refreshing. The hot pepper that I used was fairly mild, so it added a subtle heat to play off the slightly sweet melon and cooling cucumber. I think it was a Fresno, but I might be mistaken as I got a mixed bag of peppers this past week. Either way the combination was delicious as is, but could easily be tweaked depending on your tastes and what you have locally. To round out the meal we also had a lovely salad with other local goodies like the first pinkeye peas of the season, bell peppers, salad greens and microgreens with homemade pickles and a mustard dressing...perhaps that one will get a post of its own, too. ;)
Plenty more things to make with my market goodies this week, so back in the kitchen I go! Have a deliciously healthy week my friends...
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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://plantstoplanks.com/when-life-gives-you-more-cucumbers-cucumber-melon-gazpacho/
Thanks a bunch @qurator!
Oh I have cucumber and melon in my refrigerator. Thanks for the idea 😊
I am sure this would be something you would enjoy! Hope it comes out as well for you. :)
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This is sooo right up my alley. I have some cucumbers finally but I don't want to pick them yet. I don't remember if they are English or regular so I want to see how they grow. I need to make a cold soup again soon. It looks so good I could eat it all day.
It's amazing that there are people that don't like fresh fruits and veggies. Just blows my mind.
Oh yay for cucumbers on the way! We do that often--well, the boyfriend often forgets to mark what he's planted, so it is a guessing game as to what is growing sometimes. Kind of fun when you get surprised, though! It really is crazy how far away from fresh food most people have gotten with their eating habits. But really when all you get is the sad stuff from most mass grocery chains, it's no wonder people don't like it. Never has as much flavor as fresh grown, local goodies!
I need to add this to my "to try" list. It was on a TV show a few weeks back but without a recipe - no excuses now!
You definitely should! So easy, so no reason not to give it a go. :)
This looks absolutely delicious! You didn't think of adding a shallot? I have a divine cucumber soup recipe. It's an Isabel Allende recipe and although it includes yoghurt, it occurs to me that you could substitute a vegan option. I make it often in summer and it's a fabulous refressing lunch or starter. Sunday suppers diners love it on a hot summer night. I will definitely give this a go when summer arrives...
Ooh a shallot would be a nice addition to the next batch. I actually did think about getting some plant-based yogurt, but didn't get to the store with all the good options. I found a tangy vegan sour cream recently that might be a nice zip, as well. So many ways you can jazz up a simple recipe! Thanks for some different ideas as I know I'll be making this a few more times soon. :)
That would be delicious. Makes me wonder about the what defines a gazpacho or whether the word is just ... well having consulted herr professor google, I discover the word is rather like minestrone - a mixture... So anything goes ...
I also make a beetroot gazpacho...which is delicious.
I will find that recipe and share it - with the vegan sour cream, I'm sure it would be fabulous.
This sounds super refreshing and delicious @plantstoplanks! You're lucky to have an abubdance of cucumbers straight from the garden, I've reblogged so I can refer to it again, would love making this in summer!
I'm afraid the monkeys beat us to the race of monkey- proofing and have picked all the fresh young peas:(
Oh those darn monkeys! We have caterpillars decimating our tomatoes, so I know the feeling. Just when we started to have all kinds of lovely green tomatoes popping up they are getting munched through and through. Ah well, there's always trials and tribulations when growing your own food! At least we have plenty of cucumbers and about three lovely butternut squashes on the vine coming along nicely now!
Oh what a perfectly delightful summer soup!!!!!! I'll be using this recipe for sure when the hot weather comes around. Great idea !
Just living that cuke life over here. 🤣
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@plantstoplanks - wow that really looks delicious. I haven't experimented much with cold soups but that one really catches my eye and taste buds. Off to the Farmers Market I go!
Oh you should definitely try! Cold soups are lovely this time of year for a change from the usual. :) Hope you got some good stuff at the market!