By June Naylor
Photos by Ralph Lauer
At Meyer & Sage, a Fort Worth gourmet-to-go shop and custom meal delivery service, owner-chef Callie Salls creates new menus each season. Incorporating fresh ingredients from local suppliers, her summer repertoire is bright and colorful with refreshing dishes like this Chilled Watermelon + Cucumber Gazpacho. The sweet watermelon cuts some of the acid of the tomato base; a minty fruit and veggie relish adds crunch. If serving for a summer brunch or dinner party, Salls recommends nestling the serving bowls or cups in a lipped tray lined with crushed ice to keep the soup cold.
Chilled Watermelon + Cucumber Gazpacho
Serves 8 to 10
Gazpacho
- 4 cups watermelon water, see note
- 2 cups tomato juice
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- Touch of honey or sugar, to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Watermelon-cucumber relish
- 1 English cucumber, seeds removed, diced very small
- 5 to 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup watermelon, small dice
- 3 to 4 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- ½ cup minced fresh mint leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Note Make watermelon water by pureeing the flesh of ½ large seedless watermelon in a blender.
To make gazpacho, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill until cold.
Meanwhile, make relish by combining all ingredients; divide relish evenly among serving bowls or cups. Pour gazpacho atop relish to serve.
Meyer & Sage Get this dish plus freshly made meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this grab-and-go shop, which also offers prepared menus for delivery. The Foundry District, 2621 Whitmore St., Fort Worth, 817-386-5009, meyerandsage.com.