Ajo Blanco – Chilled White Grape And Almond Gazpacho #soupswappers

Our Host Paula Begley,  for this month soup swappers event gave us this theme "Summer can be soup season! Show your readers how to beat the heat with chilled soups".

Ajo Blanco is a popular Spanish soup and  I’m beating the heat  with this chilled, quick and tasty soup.

The weather here in summer is so hot that's is impossible to cook.   Making such no cook soups is a blessing, just blend all the ingredients and chill it in the fridge and have it whenever you feel like. 

For this soup you require almond meal and I have  made it at home.  Scroll for the recipe below.

I have used a white wine vinegar, white grape juice instead of cold water to blend the soup and to give this an awesome flavour used fresh parsley.

 Just organise all the ingredients and blend them together. Its  ready.

Makes 2 to 3 servings
Ingredients
1/4 Cup Homemade Almond meal - see below for the recipe
1 Clove Garlic
2 Slices White bread - crust removed
1 Cup White Grapes juice  or Ice cold water
2 Medium Cucumber - chopped
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Parsley
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon  Level Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper powder
Parsely for Garnish
Grapes for Garnish 

Method

To make the Grape Juice

Place the seedless grapes in a blender 

blend it completely.

Strain the juice in a fine strainer

Ta Da... Grape juice is ready. Chill it in the refrigerator.

The white grape juice or water used to make the soup should be ice cold. 

Peel and slice the Cucumber, mince the parsley. Select white bread that is about a day old, remove the crust and tear to pieces.  

In a blender add the bread slices,  almond meal,garlic, cucumber, few grapes , parsley and vinegar, run the blender for a  minute.  Now add in the olive oil and half of the cold grape juice (or water), the salt and pepper and run the blender till well  blended.  

Add the rest of the grape juice (or water) till the soup reaches the consistency you are comfortable with.

Since I liked the texture of this soups a little grainy , added a few grapes and almonds in the end, running the blender for just 15 seconds. 

Pour the soup from the blender into a bottle or a container  and chill, covered, in the fridge, for at least an hour, until ready to serve.

 Serve cold, garnished with slices of grape, sliced almonds and extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top. 

How to make Almond Meal

First to  blanch the almonds - place the unsalted almonds in a pan of boiling water for 3 - 4 minutes.  

OR  I just microwaved the almonds with enough water so the almonds are immersed for a minute. Kept them in the microwave for 3 -4 minutes 

and  you will see the skin has started to loosen

 then rubbed away the almond peel with your fingers to removed the skin.  Blanched almonds are ready.

Place these on a dry clean towel  to dry completely underneath a fan it may take few hours or a day depending on the room temperature.

When completely dry, then in a small mixer grinder, grind 1/3 cup almonds at a time, just pulse the mixer, ( do not run the mixer continuously or else it will start leaving oil) two or three times.  Remove this on to a plate and then add the next batch in the mixer grinder.

Here your homemade almond meal it ready.  Keep this in a a zip lock bag and store this in the refrigerator and use whenever required.

My Notes 

Can substitute sherry vinegar for the white wine vinegar.

Labels : Soup, Chilled Soup, Spain, Soup Swappers, Grapes, Healthy, Instant Mixes, Homemade, Ajo  Blanco, Homemade Almond Meal

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