VIRTUAL DINNER PARTY #21 WATERMELON AND TOMATO GAZPACHO WITH BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPER and FETA

1.25 # (3 cups)   seedless watermelon, rind removed – cut into chunks

1 basket               vine ripened grape or cherry tomatoes

1 C                          cucumber, peeled, seeded and rough chopped

¼ C ea.                 red and yellow bell pepper, rough  chopped

3 T                          red onion, minced

½ C                         artisan bread (not sourdough)

1 clove                  garlic, minced

1 t                           jalapeno, minced (omit or to taste)

3 T ea.                   fresh basil and parsley, chopped

1 ea.                      juice and zest of lime

2 T                          Sherry vinegar

2 T                          very fruity olive oil, plus more for finishing the soup

¼ C                         feta cheese, crumbled

2 ea.                      shishito peppers

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

METHOD:

Rough chop all vegetables.  Place each vegetable separately in the food processor fitted with steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Take care not to over-process vegetables.  You want a chunky texture rather than a puree.  As each vegetable is chopped, add it to a large mixing bowl.  Pulse bread in the food processor until it is ground fine.  Add to the vegetable mixture. 

Add watermelon to food processor and puree.  Add puree to vegetable-bread mixture. Add minced garlic, jalapeno, herbs, lime, sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt and white pepper.  Mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Longer refrigeration will intensify flavors.

While soup chills, roast peppers. Heat a heavy flat-bottom skillet over medium high heat. Add 1T of vegetable oil and whole shishito peppers (or sliced bell peppers) and toss well. Cook until peppers are blistered and nicely browned but still crisp. Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Ladle chilled gazpacho into bowls, top with crumbled feta, roasted shishito or bell pepper.  Drizzle with additional olive oil.

Serves 2 generously with leftovers