Creamy Green Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 1 medium tomato, cored and cut into quarters
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Flesh from 1/2 avocado, cut into large chunks
• 3 large basil leaves
• 1/2 jalapeño (optional)
• 3/4 cup lightly packed watercress or baby spinach leaves
• 1 small celery stalk (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 ice cubes
• Filtered water (optional)
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. 01Reserve one-quarter of the tomato, two cucumber chunks, two avocado chunks, and one basil leaf. Combine and finely chop for garnish.
2. 02Stem and seed the jalapeño half and reserve the seeds. Cut the jalapeño into several pieces. Combine one or two pieces of the jalapeño with the remaining tomato, cucumber, avocado, and basil and the watercress or spinach, celery, garlic, red wine vinegar, honey, and ice cubes in a blender or the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Add 1/4 cup or more water to thin the mixture, if necessary.
3. 03Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if needed. If you want the soup spicier, add more of the jalapeño, a little at a time, as well as some of the seeds if desired, blending and tasting after each addition. Refrigerate until cold, then pour into a bowl and top with the reserved chopped tomato, cucumber, avocado, and basil and a drizzle of olive oil, and eat.