I came home from our trip armed with plenty of fish and Laughing Raven recipes. I also bought this cookbook at Old Harbor Books in Sitka, which I read cover to cover before I got home.
It seems like I should be cooking up a storm right now. But I have to be honest with you; I’m dragging. There’s nothing like a trip to Alaska to fully appreciate Florida summer in all its swampy glory. Was it this hot before I left?
This is the perfect recipe to ease back in. My friend Julie, an artist and gardener from my hometown, posted a photo of her watermelon gazpacho on Instagram. I loved all the vibrant colors. She said she added some mango that evening on a whim and raved over the results. I was intrigued, so I put it at the top of my list of recipes to try once I got back.
She gave me a few pointers, and it came out amazing. It’s now my favorite gazpacho ever. I know it sounds sweet and fruity, but I can assure you this is no smoothie bowl. Far from it. In a blind taste-test, you’d probably be surprised there’s no tomato. That’s because all the other savory and spicy elements balance out the mango and watermelon perfectly. It’s velvety smooth and definitely filling. One day I’ll try it with some grilled shrimp or garlic toast, but for now I’m enjoying this ridiculously easy, refreshing gazpacho all by itself.
I’ll post some Alaska-inspired recipes as soon as I nail them down, so check back with me soon.
- 4 cups diced watermelon
- 3 cups diced mango
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup torn bread (or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko)*
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup diced red pepper
- 1 jalapeno, sliced (optional)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- diced avocado, watermelon, and mango
- basil
- fresh lime juice
- toasted pepitas (if you like a bit of crunch)
- Add the watermelon, mango, cucumber, bread or crumbs, green onions, red pepper, jalapeño, garlic, basil, lime juice, vinegar, and spices to the jar of a blender. Blend well. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Top with diced avocado, watermelon, mango, basil leaves, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- *gluten free is fine
Looks like a perfect hot afternoon snack. I like the serving dishes, too! Easy to pack for the beach or boat.
Yep! If you leave off the bits, you don’t even need a spoon!
I’ve been looking for this. I knew you would have interesting and tasty additions! It looks and sounds awesome, and I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for the inspiration, Julie! I never would have thought to use watermelon and mango. They play well together.
This recipe sounds delish. I’ve still got a batch of mangos from a friend’s tree, so I think I’ve got a recipe to try this weekend! Looking forward to seeing your Alaska pics 🙂
I hope you love it as much as I do, Nicole! Enjoy those mangos!
This is not too far off from my watermelon gazpacho! Although mine, naturally, has tomatoes. 🙂 It’s one of our absolute favorites in the summer. I love the addition of mangoes to give more of that sweet and tangy flavor.
I missed that recipe, but it looks awesome! I’ll try it in the fall when I’ve got some homegrowns. You’d be appalled by the tomatoes in FL right now. So glad I found a substitute for summertime.
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This sounds delicious. How many servings for this recipe?
We usually get about 4 bowls out of a batch. The mason jars I used here are 8 ounces, which I think is a large serving, and I was able to fill 3.
Thanks so much. Will be giving it a try this weekend.
Enjoy it, Sue! Nothing better than gazpacho for a heat wave!