Watermelon-Cucumber Gazpacho

Boy was it hot today. Over a hundred out there, and it reached over 90 inside my house. I needed something to eat that would help me cool off. I wanted to just buy a bunch of fruit and cut it up and eat it, but then I recalled a meal I had in Durham, NC. I was over at the house of the mother of my old Sous Chef (I was a line chef in that kitchen). She brought out a delicious cucumber Gazpacho for lunch with bread, and sparkling Blueberry juice. What a meal. Personally, I have never made the cold soup before. I figured now was as good a time as any to give it a try.
After perusing several recipes online, I decided to combine some concepts and throw together some ingredients in a blender and see how it turned out.
I was thoroughly impressed. It turned out fantastic. Cool, refreshing, with a hint of warmth. To help matters, I just completed the top three herbs of my "Essential Herbs in a Chef's Garden. And I wanted to use them. Here was what I came up with. Watermelon-Cucumber Gazpacho

In a blender combine
1.5 pounds of cubed seedless Watermelon
1/2 of an English Cucumber (use whichever cucumber you like, I even left the seeds in)
1 cup of plain Yogurt (I use the kind with cream on top to give it a little more substance)
4-6 slices of Marinated Greek Tomatoes
1/2 jalapeño pepper
3 limes, juiced
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1/2 tsp of cumin
5-6 leaves of Mint
4-5 leaves of Cilantro

yields: 1 Blender full

I slivered some Watermelon slices and added that along with a mint sprig for garnish. If you can't stand the heat, or don't want the heat, use less black and jalapeño pepper.
Also try serving with, Oyster Crackers, Saltines, or Goldfish, as if it were a normal hot soup.

I hope you try making Gazpacho, or another dish that you have always enjoyed and never got around to making. It is days like these that remind me why I love cooking so much. Enjoy!

My photographer for this dish was John David Devergilis. He is the same roommate who made the Banana Challa French Toast (as well as photographed it).

Dry Thai Noodle Soup

This started out as a bag of Bean Sprouts in the fridge. My then house mate Felicia decided to sautee them up with green beans, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and maple syrup. They were not bad at all, yet felt like they were missing something. I had always wanted to cook with Pad Thai noodles or Rice Noodles, so I decided to combine them into a soup.

Ingredients:
Bean/Bean Sprout Mixture
Sauteed Onions (3x)
Handful of Sliced Mushrooms - Sauteed
Garlic (Handful of cloves)
Ginger -fresh is better, although in this I had a combination of Fresh and powder, to taste
Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce to taste. I had no need for salt.
Soy-Ginger Broth from Trader Joe's
Small Package of Firm Tofu
10-12 leaves of fresh basil

Yields: 1 big ol' pot full

I cooked the Rice noodles, added the bean/sprout mixture, basil and the soup broth, then all of the other ingredients were sauteed together and added. I let it sit covered for about 4 hours. When I came back to it, all of the moisture had been absorbed by the vegetables and rice noodles, yielding a delicious dry soup. There is still something missing that I am sure an authentic Thai chef would be able to add, both in flavor and presentation. But for a Thursday night dinner not bad at all.




***About half the photos in this blog were taken by expert photographer Joe Saunders. Including this one. As I proceed I hope to attribute the proper photographer to the photos.

Greek Grilled Cheese

Today I wanted to share with you a take on a classic, the Grilled Cheese. My step mom used to make a variation on this when I was about 12 years old. She claims she learned it while working in a restaurant in the Greek Isles. However, first, let me tell you, that Kirby Von Scrumptious and I threw down some serious sandwiches last Saturday Night (April 26), and the real winners were the judges. You can also check out her blog at: kirbyvonscrumptious.blogspot.com for more details. Back to the Greek Grilled Cheese.


To make them you have to start with a large appetite. These aren't you Kraft American Singles between two pieces of Miracle Bread.

4 Slices of Wheat Sourdough Bread
8 oz. (or 1 cup) of assorted cheeses (For these sandwiches I used an English Cheddar, Havarti, and a 6 cheese blend
1 Ripe Large Tomato
Handful of Basil, Washed and Ripped.
Irish Butter

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Heat skillet to medium heat, add one slice of bread face down. Immediately add cheese, tomato and basil. I like to have my cheese already in a sandwich shape so I can just lift it off the plate and put it directly on the bread. Then top the sandwich with another slice of bread, butter side up. When golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, flip. Just brown the other side and your cheese should be gooey. Cut Diagonally for best flavor, and largest crustless surface to bite into. I also like to warm up some Tomato Basil soup while I am making the Grilled Cheese, that way it is all ready at the same time. Enjoy!!!