I love chilled soups during the hot summer months – they are lovely, light and refreshing and won’t heat up the kitchen.
WHITE GAZPACHO WITH CRISPY HAM
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, halved
1 cup whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2 cups seedless grapes, plus more, halved, for garnish
1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber
salt
1 to 2 cups cold water
sherry vinegar
4 slices ham
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and fry until golden and crisp.
Puree garlic and almonds until smooth. Add grapes, cucumbers and a pinch of salt and puree until smooth. Add 1 cup of water and puree, adding more if soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and vinegar. Set gazpacho aside.
Set a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add ham. Fry until crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Break crisped ham into bite-sized pieces.
Ladle gazpacho into chilled bowls and garnish with halved grapes and ham.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, April 2014