Smoked Watermelon Gazpacho

This recipe comes from Robyn of GrillGirl.com. Check her out for more unique ideas to utilize your grill!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large watermelon, sliced in wedges
• 3 large cucumbers, skinned and sliced lengthwise
• 1 lb mini bell peppers
• 2 medium sized shallots
• 5 cloves garlic, put them on a skewer so they don’t fall through the grill grates
• 4 medium beefsteak tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 LARGE bunch of Basil, plus more for garnish
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 heaping tbsp. smoked sea salt (I prefer smoked sea salt if you have it!)
• 1 tsp pepper (or to taste)
• Smoked Watermelon Gazpacho

Notes: Cut veggies so you ensure they receive maximum exposure to the grill grates and smoke.

Robyn’s Smoked Watermelon Gazpacho

Believe it or not, the flavors of watermelon, the crispness of cucumbers and acidity of the tomatoes blend perfectly together for a savory soup you can serve at brunch, lunch or even as an appetizer at dinner. Finish with basil and goat cheese or sliced avocado as garnish and pair with a nice crusty bread for dipping into the soup for a light, refreshing meal. The ease of smoking the veggies on Green Mountain Grill is part of the appeal- the hardest part of this recipe is chopping the veggies up! Plus, watermelons are available almost year-round at the grocery store this recipe can be made all year!

Directions:

-Preheat your Green Mountain Grill to 350 degrees.

-While the grill is heating up, slice the veggies. Once the grill is at temperature, put the veggies on. Check the veggies every so often to ensure they are not burning – the garlic and peppers will cook the quickest. Don’t let the garlic burn, just put it on long enough to soften and get some smoke. As char marks form, turn the veggies over and let the other side cook. Ideally you are looking for good char marks and for the veggies/watermelon to caramelize on the grill.

NOTE, the watermelon will not get as charred as the rest of the veggies unless you sliced it extremely thin and that is okay. The inherent nature of this fruit having so much water content makes it take longer to get char marks- be patient.

-As veggies develop the char marks, remove them and let them cool in a big bowl.

-Once all veggies have been removed, place them in a very large pot and get out your stick blender.

-Now, go ahead and add the additional ingredients: balsamic, olive oil, water, sea salt and pepper and the basil leaves. Pulse the content with the immersion blender until it is pureed. Don’t over puree it, you want it to have the consistency of a fine salsa.

-Let chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

-Garnish with additional basil. Great served with grilled bread as an appetizer, also great for a light lunch.