It’s Summer in the city and what better way to cool down than with this delicious and refreshing Watermelon Gazpacho with feta, peach and basil recipe brought to you by Gregory Marchand (Chef Patron of Frenchie Covent Garden, Michelin-starred Frenchie Rue du Nil and Frenchie To Go in Paris).
It’s a wonderful twist on a Spanish classic, perfect for a warm evening, it’s easy to make and something you can do in advance so you can spend more time in the garden and less time in the kitchen.
GAZPACHO:
3 kg Watermelon
900g Tomato
600g Cucumber
140g Shallot
2 red Pepper
200ml Olive Oil
100ml Cabernet Sauvignon Vinegar
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Red Chilli Deseeded
1 Bunch of Basil
Method
Chop all the vegetables and watermelon into smaller pieces, add olive oil and Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar. Pick the basil, crush the garlic, mix both together and let marinade overnight.
Next day blitz and strain gazpacho through a chinois. Then blitz the gazpacho with fresh watermelon to thicken it.
Season with salt and if you would like to add more acid, add another dash of Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar.
Season to taste.
DRESSING:
60g Shallot
1.5 Red Chilli 40g Ginger
20g Galangal
40ml Lime Juice
15g Palm Sugar
60ml Sesame Oil
40ml Mirin
Heat sesame oil in a pan and chop finely shallots, ginger, galangal, chilli and sweeten lightly in sesame oil. Dissolve mirin and palm sugar and add lime at the end and chill.
GRANITA:
400g Melon Trimmings
200g Peach trimmings
2 Limes Juiced and Zested
Blitz trimmings with lime zest and pass through a chinois. Add lime juice and freeze.
MINT-BASIL OIL:
100g Basil
100g Mint
600g Grapeseed Oil
Blitz all in a blender 80 degrees for 8 minutes, pass through a muslin cloth and chill.
TO SERVE
Peeled wedges of peach (blanch them in boiling water for 15 seconds and refresh in ice water)
Compressed watermelon disc
Diced cucumber
Diced lime melon
Diced watermelon
Deep fried basil
Feta
Place watermelon disc in the centre of the bowl, place diced cucumber, melon and watermelon on top of the disc, add peach wedges, crumbled feta, and top with fried basil. Add granita on the side of the watermelon disc.
Serve and pour chilled gazpacho around in the bowl. Add dashes of prepared dressing oil.
Enjoy!
For more info on Gregory Marchand and Frenchie Covent Garden visit www.frenchiecoventgarden.com