Strawberry Gazpacho

We have been enjoying our fair share of fresh Ontario strawberries from our favourite farm.  Bowlfuls of juicy red berries and many batches of freezer jam have been made.  I've got a real love of savoury ingredients in my desserts which led me to think about something sweet in a savoury dish.  We enjoyed this cold soup on a hot evening with a strawberry and leek grilled cheese.

 The soup is both fresh and rich in one bite.  There is a nice bit of acidity to the soup which was a nice balance to the grilled cheese sandwich.  Wish I could show you a picture of the sandwich too, but I regret to tell you, Don got a little "delete happy" with the camera.  I imagine this soup as a starter to a big meal or a side to a sandwich, cheese and crackers or a simple salad. 

I used a walnut and raisin bread that we had on hand.  I think any grainy and hearty bread would do the trick.  I liked the idea of the walnuts adding a little protein to the dish.  My blender is super powerful, so I left the stems on the strawberries.  If yours is not that strong, I suggest you remove the stems.

The ingredients came together really quickly.  I made it one evening and left it overnight to "marinate".  In the morning I threw it in the blender and it made for a quick lunch. It was a great use of an amazing seasonal fruit.   Hope you give it a try too, before they're gone!

Strawberry Gazpacho

adapted from five and spice

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp garlic crushed
1 cup bread (I used walnut raisin) cut in 1" cubes
2 tsp dried thyme
3 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 1/4 cups English cucumbers diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
4 Tbs. water
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
basil leaves, freshly ground black pepper, and olive oil, for serving

Saute garlic, thyme and bread cubes in olive oil until bread is crispy and browned.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and cover.  Allow to sit a minimum of 3hrs and up to overnight.  Put all ingredients in blender and puree until very smooth, then chill.  Serve with torn basil on top, additional salt and peper as needed.  Enjoy!