Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
- 2 large English cucumbers (5 small Persian cucumbers, which are much smaller)
- 20 or so nice fresh mint leaves, washed (plus a few more for garnish)
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 Tbsp) heavy cream, or 1 yogurt, or fromage blanc (or plain Greek yogurt) (optional, but good!)
- 1 clove garlic (or 1 Tbsp garlic powder)
- Salt, pepper
- Cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish (optional)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced (lime preferably) - optional
- Peel the cucumbers, remove the seeds (or quickly scrape them out with a knife) and cut them into chunks (you can set a few aside for garnish).
- In a blender, combine the cucumbers, garlic, cream (or yogurt) and mint and blend until smooth. Add the olive oil and lemon juice, season generously with salt (cucumber is always bland) and pepper. Blend again for a few seconds.
- Serve well chilled in small glasses, garnished with a few mint leaves, little cucumber cubes or a halved cherry tomato, as a nod to the traditional gazpacho.
The finishing touch? Serve with garlic croutons on the side.
Tips and Variations
This gazpacho can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
Careful with fresh garlic! Don’t use more than one small clove, or you’ll get a very, very sharp aftertaste!
If you don’t have a blender, an immersion blender works just fine.
For an even more original recipe, you can swap the mint for basil or lovage.