In Napa Valley, when summer temps start to climb, they hit the garden — and the blender.
At Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, chef Brian Streeter whips up this ruby-red gazpacho from peak-season watermelon and tomatoes. The cold soup features up to three cups of watermelon, but it is the pound and a half of juicy tomatoes that form its base. To those ingredients, Streeter adds cucumber, bell pepper, fennel, red onion and swizzles of sherry vinegar and olive oil.
You can learn how to make the gazpacho, along with other peak-season tomato dishes, including Cedar Plank Salmon with Roasted Tomato Butter, at a cooking class offered from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 12 or 13 at Cakebread’s Winery House Kitchen. The class is $275 per person and includes a three-course lunch. Sign up at https://cakebread.com.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 to 3 cups watermelon, cut in 1-inch cubes
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
½ large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
¼ small red onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons finely diced watermelon for garnish
INGREDIENTS
In a blender in batches, puree the tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, bell pepper, fennel, onion, olive oil, vinegar and enough ice water to achieve a soup-like consistency (about 1 cup). Season with salt, taste and add more vinegar, if necessary. Chill thoroughly.
Divide the soup among eight cold bowls. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of diced watermelon. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.
— Chef Brian Streeter, Cakebread Cellars
