Garden Bounty: Cucumber and Grape Gazpacho

So amidst all the garden produce, the cucumbers have been standing out the most – piles of them. I pride myself on getting down to the bottom of the pile only to find a new pile next time I come into the kitchen. I can’t even name all the cucumber recipes I’ve tried this last month.

How can you complain about too much garden produce? I can’t…at least I’m trying not to. However, I am about to enforce a household law that each person shall eat cucumber at every meal. Penalty of not eating cucumber is washing dishes for a week by hand because we’re out of dishwasher soap.

I’m thinking that won’t go over very well…

Plan B – throw a bunch of them into the blender and make this delicious gazpacho.

Recipe is adapted from White Gazpacho over at Playin’ With My Food

Cucumber and Grape Gazpacho

Serves 6-8

• 4 large cucumbers, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 c. green grapes, washed and stemmed
• 3 T. fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 T. red wine vinegar (I really wanted to use some white wine instead, but couldn’t  justify opening a bottle for a few tablespoons…just a hint though. :)
• 2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup almonds, blanched and sliced (I buy them that way)
• sour cream or crème fraîche

Combine all ingredients in the blender except for the almonds and cream. Blend until smooth and creamy. Chill an hour or so to meld flavors.

Toast almond slices in a hot skillet with a little olive oil and salt. Let cool and serve on the side with sour cream or crème fraîche.

Did you know a cucumber’s internal temperature is 20 degrees cooler than it is outside the cucumber? Cucumbers are also high in Vitamin K, fiber, and magnesium which helps lower blood pressure. No wonder calm and unruffled people are referred to as being “cool as a cucumber”.

Featuring Sage’s pottery today, folks. I love this bowl!

Ironically, it was one year and a month ago that I posted about another delicious chilled soup and the braces I had to get because of an impacted canine. Last week I finally got that chain I’ve been waiting for that will hopefully pull my tooth down into place. The chain however was making my life miserable rubbing the inside of my mouth raw and giving me a nice swollen lip. I was going through the wax they give you at the dentist like crazy and nothing was helping until…Guess what came to my aid? A cucumber slice! I’m serious! I peeled it, sliced it thin, and tucked it between the offending chain and the very offended lip and we’re just hangin’ out as cool as a cucumber gets!

Now I better get this chain off before our cucumber plants stop producing…

What’s your best cucumber recipe? I’d love to try it. :)

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