Excellent Gazpacho - Summer Perfect for those on The Paleo Diet

Watermelon Gazpacho

My Friend John is a Celiac, on a Gluten Free diet and recently he has embraced The Paleo Diet.
It’s a challenge this diet but through John and through his wife JT, I have access to a couple of Paleo Cookbooks
I found this recipe in a book called
Nom Nom Paleo- Food For Humans

This is probably the nicest Gazpacho I have ever had.
I guess it is the Watermelon... it adds a sweetness.
The coriander was an odd choice I thought, but it was just there in the back ground.
Little added back taste

I have only got an average blender, so I found that the best way to get the vege pureed was to whizz them in the food processor
Then when I added the liquids and watermelon
I finished off in the blender

1 kg ripe tomatoes
1 hot house cucumber  approx 450 gm peeled
2 small shallots peeled and coarsely chopped
1 med red pepper seeded cored and diced
4 fresh stalks of coriander with leaves chopped
3 cups cubed and seeded watermelon (about 500 gms)
1 extra tomato for garnish chopped
2 tbs sherry or cider vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin Olive Oil
Plus a little extra for garnish

1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional

Fill a a large pot with water and bring it to the boil
Prepare a large bowl with iced water
Make a small cross on the bottom of each tomato

Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato and drop them into the boiling water
Blanch for 30 seconds
Remove and drop into iced water

After a few minutes the skin will just peel off easily
Core and roughly chop them

Finely dice ⅓ of the cucumber and set aside for garnish

Roughly chop up the rest of the cucumber

Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, shallot, red pepper and coriander into blender and puree until the vegetables are liquified.

Add the watermelon, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using)

Taste and adjust for seasoning

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully chilled

If the soup separates, just pop it back into the blender for a quick whizz

Ladle into cups or bowls

Garnish
Toss the diced cucumber and tomatoes with Sea salt and Freshly ground black pepper and couple of teaspoons of olive oil

Top the soup
 I served little dinner rolls with the Gazpacho
This is from the recipe from this post Easy Bread

The main course was simple,
Sicilian Fish  For the recipe click here
Roasted Kumera and a Rocket Salad

Naturally there were some left overs
Pre-dinner I put out some prawns and smoked mussels
There were leftovers
So next day what did I make BUT
Fish Pie
In The Save With Jamie Series. He mentioned that it was a good to keep some Frozen Fish in the Freezer. It is snap frozen immediately it is caught.
Not that great to pan fry but perfect for Fish Pie or Fish Cakes
A great standby

Turned the Bread Rolls into Crumbs
Grated 100 gms cheddar cheese
I had some cooked Kumera, no necessary but an added extra

Made a simple Bechamel Sauce

1 litre whole milk
1 bay leave
1/2 onion studded with 3 cloves
8 black freshly ground black pepper corns
75 gms butter
50 gms white flour
2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley
 

Heat milk with the bay leave, black peppercorns onion and cloves to infuse flavour
The melt butter in pan
Add flour and cook for about 5 minutes to get rid of raw taste
Strain milk and add to pan



Whisk well to combine and bring slowly to the boil stirring all of the time
To make sure there are no lumps
Simmer for about 5 minutes

Take off heat set aside

Meanwhile prepare seafood
10-12 cooked prawns
10 smoked mussels
2 filets Frozen white fish



Chop mussels into 3
Cut up fish
Remove tails from prawns

Add to Bechamel sauce
Add cooked Kumera



Pour into Gratin dish
Mix Breadcrumbs and Grated Cheese together
Sprinkle over the top

Bake 180C for 30 minutes
Till bubbling and turning golden

 Dish up and devour