Gazpacho Blanco

“When we lived in Georgia we met a couple who became good friends. He was from Turkey. One evening they had us over for a Turkish dinner. One dish was a cold cucumber and yogurt soup. Cucumbers and yogurt? Oh dear. But we were polite and ate some.

It was good!  It has been a summer standard ever since. Served in chilled, clear glass bowls, it’s very refreshing on a warm day as a light lunch, or as a first course for dinner.”

– Joanne Saliby

 

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Joanne Saliby, author of the Wenatchee World Living Well blog.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Chill time: 2 hours

Serves: 4

2 lbs. cucumbers, peeled and chopped (about 4)

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided

3 cups plain yogurt (low fat or regular)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

Diced tomato

Sliced green onions

Parsley

Chives

Process cucumber, garlic and 1 cup chicken broth in a blender until smooth. A blender works better than a food processor for this.

Pour into bowl, stir in remaining chicken broth, yogurt, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Cover and chill at least two hours. Serve in chilled bowls and sprinkle with desired garnish.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Eagle Creek White Riesling

Wedge Mountain Winery Dry Riesling