Cauliflower Gazpacho

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, medium sized, cut into 1-inch florets
• 4 slices bread, crusts removed
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (3 ounces)
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
• 2 shallots, large, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups blanched slivered almonds (2 cups for the soup, set aside 1/2 cup for garnish)
• 1 seedless cucumber, medium sized, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup seedless cucumber, finely diced
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower until tender, about 8-10 minutes. drain, rinse under cold water until cool and drain well.
• 2 in a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups of ice-cold water with half of all the ingredients except the last three; blend until smooth. add 1/3 cup olive oil and pulse just until incorporated. if necessary, add more water to thin the gazpacho. pour into a container suitable for chilling and repeat with the second half of ingredients. season the soup to taste with salt and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (or overnight).
• 3 preheat the oven to 350°. spread the remaining 1/2 cup of slivered almonds in a pie plate and toast for about 6 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. ladle the gazpacho into bowls. garnish the soup with the toasted almonds and the finely diced cucumber and serve.