Green Grape Gazpacho with Garlic Crouton, Smoked Salmon and Cabrales

2004 Professional Honorable Mention

Submitted by Andrew Ingram, Regatta Bar and Grille, Seattle, WA

Makes 12 4 oz. servings (1.5 quarts)

The perfect blend of sweet and tart, smoky and spicy—add the pimentón just before service to prevent discoloration.

Green Grape Gazpacho:

2 quarts quartered seedless green grapes
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil from Spain
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1/3 cup diced seedless English cucumber
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon pimentón, dulce (sweet), agridulce (bittersweet) or picante (spicy)

Garlic crouton:

24 slices baguette
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil from Spain

6 ounces smoked wild salmon, thinly sliced
4 ounces Cabrales cheese, crumbled

Garnish:

Snipped chives
Extra virgin olive oil from Spain

For the Gazpacho:

Place the grapes, wine vinegar, olive oil, onion, cucumber, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until uniformly chunky. Refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.

For the Garlic Crouton:

Rub the garlic over the baguette slices and discard. Drizzle bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Broil in the oven or under salamander until golden brown.

To serve:

Stir pimentón into gazpacho. Adjust seasonings to taste. Divide gazpacho among serving cups or shallow soup plates. Divide salmon and place on croutons. Top salmon with crumbled Cabrales cheese. Garnish gazpacho with additional pimentón if desired, chives and drizzles of olive oil. Serve two croutons alongside each bowl of gazpacho on liner plate.