Roasted Cherry Gazpacho

Gazpacho is the quintessential summer soup, showcasing the season's darlings of ripe tomatoes and crisp cucumbers. This version also features roasted cherries because I wanted to add a tinge of sweetness to the gazpacho. The soup does need to chill for several hours before serving.

I served this as the second course of my Summer Solstice collab with Anni of The Quail & Olive and Lenora of Big Sur Vineyards.

Years ago I had the pleasure of having gazpacho at our Spanish friends' house! And I asked her her secret because the color was beautiful. Two words: olive oil. She said to add more olive oil than I would think necessary. This is not Susanna's recipe because I don't use bread and I added vinegar.

Originating in the Spanish region of Andalusia, but popular all over the Iberian Peninsula, gazpacho is a soup made of raw vegetables and served chilled. More of a drink than a soup, the roasted cherries make this a deeper, dramatic red than the usual gazpacho.

Here's a link to my short on YouTube of how to pit cherries without a cherry pitter.

Now on to the soup. I have to share that the guests at the happy hour loved this. One woman shared that she has had gazpacho in Spain, but my version is the best she has ever had. Awwww....

Ingredients

Gazpacho

• 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cubed

• 1 bell pepper (I used an orange bell), seeded and cut into chunks

• 1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks

• 2 cups roasted cherries (recipe below)

• 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

• 2 teaspoons Lemon Balsamic vinegar plus more to taste

• sea salt and black pepper

• 1/2 cup Picual olive oil plus more to taste

• Also needed: food processor or blender, fine mesh strainer, glasses for serving; diced cucumbers, fresh herbs, more olive oil and vinegar for garnish; edible flowers for garnish, optional

Roasted Cherries

• 4 cups pitted cherries

• olive oil (I used the Rosemary olive oil)

• salt and pepper

Procedure

Roasted Cherries

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the pitted cherries on the prepared sheet in a single layer. Drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt pepper. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes. They should be softened, but still retain their shape. Let cool before using or refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Gazpacho

Work in batches, if necessary. Combine tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, roasted cherries, garlic, and cracked black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until very smooth, at least 2 minutes.

With the motor running, pour in the vinegar and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

Adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar, as needed. Transfer to a glass pitcher or jar and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired. Add a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar before serving. Garnish with a roasted cherry, cucumber dice, herbs, edible flower (if using), and another drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.

Above is what I served at the event. Below was my test at home.

I will be making this all summer long with different roasted fruits as the season progresses. Look for a version with peaches or plums soon. Stay tuned!