Leek Gazpacho

Gazpacho - the perfect summer dish. It’s light, refreshing and packed with fresh seasonal produce. I make a big batch to eat throughout the week. The sautéed leeks give this a caramelized creaminess and the cucumbers turn this traditionally red soup into a light green color. It’s a surprisingly substantial meal.

This recipe yields 24 ounces


INGREDIENTS


  • For Gazpacho:
  • 6 large leeks
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 large cucumbers, peeled and deseeded
  • ⅓ cup almond crème fraîche (combine Kite Hill Cream Cheese Alternative with a squeeze of fresh lemon)
  • ¾ - 1 cup almond flour focaccia (or other grain-free bread)
  • 2-3 cups filtered water
  • Handful of Marcona almonds
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • A pinch of white pepper to taste
  • 3 teaspoons salt, add more to taste

  • For Dill Oil Topping:
  • ¼ cup fresh dill
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

  • For Gazpacho:
  • 6 large leeks
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 3 large cucumbers, peeled and deseeded
  • 80 ml almond crème fraîche (combine Kite Hill Cream Cheese Alternative with a squeeze of fresh lemon)
  • 175 - 240 ml almond flour focaccia (or other grain-free bread)
  • 500-700 ml filtered water
  • Handful of Marcona almonds
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • A pinch of white pepper to taste
  • 3 teaspoons salt, add more to taste

  • For Dill Oil Topping:
  • 32 g fresh dill
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Sauté leeks in olive oil for 10-15 minutes, stirring often and keeping the leeks from turning brown. Add a touch of water if they seem to be cooking too quickly. Remove leeks from heat and allow to cool.

  2. Add all of the other ingredients to a blender (preferably a Vitamix) and add the leeks when they have cooled. Blend on high for 3-4 minutes, adding more water if needed. Taste and add additional salt and another splash of sherry vinegar if desired.

  3. In timed increments, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Press the liquid through thoroughly. There should be a thick, mealy paste remaining. Discard, clearing the sieve, and continue slowly with the rest of the liquid. 

  4. Refrigerate until chilled (roughly 2 hours) or serve soup at room temp as desired.  

  5. If topping with accompanying dill oil: Finely chop dill and mix with olive oil. Let stand at room temp until serving gazpacho so the mixture infuses. 

  6. When serving, spoon just about a teaspoon of the dill oil on top. 


Tips

** English or Armenian cucumbers are great, but any will do.

Recipe by Chef Blaire Flory