Equipment
Ingredients
Cucumber Granita
- 500 g english cucumbers, chopped, skin on
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 45 ml sugar syrup
- 2 g sea salt
Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
- 1000 g yellow heirloom tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 150 g yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 100 g cucumber, peeled and seeded
- 30 g shallot, peeled
- 1 garlic, germ removed
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g stale white bread, crusts removed
- 8 g salt
Crispy Garnishes
- 4 serrano ham, thin slices
- 50 g white bread, diced into 5mm cubes
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
For the granita: Blend the chopped English cucumbers with lime juice, sugar syrup, and salt until completely liquid.
Strain the cucumber liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a shallow freezer-safe container. Press on the solids to extract all flavor, then discard solids.
Place the container in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, scrape the mixture with a fork to create fluffy ice crystals. Repeat for 3-4 hours until fully frozen and flaky.
While granita freezes, combine tomatoes, yellow pepper, peeled cucumber, shallot, garlic, bread (if using), and vinegar in a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
With the blender running on low, slowly stream in the 80ml olive oil to emulsify. The soup should turn glossy and opaque.
Pass the soup through a clean fine mesh sieve, pushing firmly to extract liquid. Discard skins and seeds. Season with salt. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lay Serrano ham slices flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until fat renders and meat darkens slightly, about 10-12 minutes. Cool to crisp.
Toss bread cubes with 15ml olive oil. Toast in a pan over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy.
Pour chilled soup into bowls. Spoon a mound of cucumber granita into the center. Top with a shard of crispy Serrano ham and a scattering of croutons. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Use the highest quality sherry vinegar you can find; the acidity cuts the sweetness of the yellow tomatoes.
- Chill your serving bowls beforehand. This dish relies entirely on remaining cold until the moment it is eaten.
- If you cannot find yellow tomatoes, red works, but the flavor profile will be more acidic and less floral.
- The sugar syrup in the granita is not just for sweetness; it interferes with ice crystal formation to prevent it from freezing into a rock.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store soup and garnishes separately. Granita must be frozen.
Freezer: 1 week — Granita only. Soup does not freeze well due to emulsion.
