Moroccan-Inspired Cherry Gazpacho Recipe
Prep Time:
4 hours, 30 minutes
Cook Time:
Servings:
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 thick-cut slices of white bread
  • ⅓ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 small shallot
  • 6 medium tomatoes (such as Roma or Campari), divided
  • 12 ounces Bing cherries (about 2 cups), divided
  • ⅓ cup pistachios
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • ¼ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
Directions
  1. Remove the crust from the bread and cut the slices into cubes.
  2. In a medium bowl, thin the Greek yogurt with some water (about ⅓ cup). The consistency should be similar to pancake batter.
  3. Add the cubed bread to the yogurt mixture and toss to combine. Set aside.
  4. Peel and halve the cucumber. Roughly chop one half; set aside the other half for later.
  5. Peel and roughly chop the shallot.
  6. Halve 5 of the tomatoes. Remove the seeds and roughly chop.
  7. Pit the cherries. Set aside 8 for later.
  8. Finely chop the pistachios. Set aside 2 tablespoons for later.
  9. To a blender, add the yogurt-bread mixture, chopped cucumber, shallot, chopped tomatoes, cherries (still reserving 8), chopped pistachios (still reserving 2 tablespoons), garlic, salt, pepper, ras el hanout, sherry vinegar, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and orange blossom water (if using).
  10. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
  11. Transfer the soup to a large container, cover, and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
  12. Meanwhile, prep the garnishes: Finely dice the remaining tomato and cucumber half; quarter the remaining 8 cherries.
  13. Taste the gazpacho and adjust seasonings, if needed. Ladle into 4 chilled bowls.
  14. Garnish the bowls with diced cucumber and tomato, quartered cherries, the remaining chopped pistachios, mint leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.