Cucumber-Mint Gazpacho

Recipe Courtesy of Sarma Melngailis of Pure Food and Wine

Even in its original form, gazpacho is already a raw food. It’s traditionally a cold tomato soup, but many variations of fruits and vegetables work nicely. Some people like it pureed more thoroughly, for a smoother soup, while others (like me) prefer to keep it chunkier. We made this at the restaurant one summer and garnished it with a preserved lemon cream: a nut-based sour cream we have on hand mixed with some minced preserved lemon. For an easy complement, add a drizzle of macadamia oil or other oil, or some sliced avocado, or just eat it the way it is, light and very low calorie.

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Cucumber-Mint Gazpacho

Ingredients

Food processor or blender
12 to 14 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 jalapeños, seeded and minced
2 red bell peppers, cored and diced very small
1 small handful mint leaves, cut into thin chiffonade (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place the cucumbers and lime juice in a food processor and process until no big pieces remain. (Alternately, add the freshly squeezed lime juice and about 2 cups of the cucumbers to a blender and blend together to liquefy the cucumber. Then, add the remaining cucumbers and pulse until no large pieces remain and you have a thick liquid.)
Transfer the mix to a large bowl and fold in the jalapeños, red peppers, and mint. (To chiffonade the mint leaves: Lay the leaves one on top of the other, and roll tightly. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll very thin, so you have thin strips of mint. Doing it this way helps keep the herbs from bruising under the pressure of the knife.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Keep the Cucumber-Mint Gazpacho chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Divide among bowls and garnish with mint leaves.

Yield: 8-10

Excerpted from Living Raw Food, by Sarma Melngailis