[Foodie Friday Recipe] Late Summer Garden Gazpacho

Take advantage of the late summer garden bounty with this fresh & flavorful garden gazpacho recipe…

Enjoy the dog days of summer with some late summer garden goodness in this fresh and healthy summer soup. Grilled squash, peppery microgreens, crisp cubes of cucumber, and some fresh, raw veggie noodles make this gazpacho a summer treat you won’t soon forget – and it’s a great way to use up some of those late summer veggies that are overflowing from the garden – or your CSA share!

It only takes 30 minutes to prepare, but this soup will get better over time, so make it in advance and chill in the refrigerator for maximum flavor punch.

See recipe below, and check out the video here to see how it’s made.

Garden Gazpacho with Summer Squash & Cucumber Noodles

Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil, as needed
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ Fresno chile pepper, cored, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
• 7–9 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 cups fresh carrot juice
• 2 cups vegetable juice (we used Biotta brand)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 summer squashes, trimmed, 2 cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick strips, 2 julienned into noodles using a mandolin
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut crosswise in half, ½ julienned into noodles using a mandolin, ½ cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and cut into small cubes
• Juice of ½ lime
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (optional)
• 1 baguette, cut into slices
• Arugula micro greens for garnish
• Good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for finishing (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
2. Coat the hot pot with olive oil. Add onions, garlic, and chile and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, carrot juice, and vegetable juice and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Cook until gazpacho base starts to bubble, 10–15 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath or to a bowl in refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble.
3. Season squash strips with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill, turning once, until squash gets some color on both sides but still has some bite, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, then cut into small cubes.
4. When the gazpacho base is cold, use a food mill or a hand muddler to smash it up a bit. Stir in cubes of cucumber and grilled squash, lime juice, lemon juice, and vinegar (if using). Season raw squash and cucumber noodles with olive oil, salt, and pepper; set aside. Brush baguette slices with olive oil, then toast on the hot grill or in a preheated broiler.
5. To serve, use tongs to twist squash and cucumber noodles together and place in the center of four to six wide bowls. Ladle cold gazpacho around noodles. Finish with some nice olive oil and more pepper. Garnish with micro arugula and arrange a few pieces of grilled baguette around the edge of each serving.

Recipe Source: ModernFarmer.com