In this blog I do not review restaurants, but I will make an exception here in light of an interesting dinner I had recently. Planning to meet a friend for evening repast in Ridgefield, I found a new (to me) place with a very diverse menu. It’s called Bailey’s Backyard and I think you will find the ambience and food to be very inviting. What intrigued me about the menu were the creative combinations of ingredients in many of their dishes. I love to try new mixtures and the chef at Bailey’s seems to agree.
I started the meal with a “watermelon Gazpacho.” Their dish combined three types of melon and no tomatoes, the latter of which are found in most gazpacho dishes. I asked my waiter if the chef would share his recipe and, sure enough, I received an e-mail with his “secret.” My first attempt was a failure because I used a whole lime instead of just the juice. Their recipe did not give quantities, so I had to experiment to get it just right. I finally succeeded in making a reasonable facsimile.
Their recipe was a smooth, cooling soup. But my wife insisted on a bit more spice and texture in mine, so I made my version of watermelon gazpacho, which is a bit different, but quite nice. Both versions make a nice watermelon gazpacho shooter—perfect for a summer cocktail party or soup starter. (By the way, in between the time I requested the recipe and the few days that elapsed before the chef e-mailed me, I was eager to find a workable recipe and Googled watermelon gazpacho recipes. The result was 324,000 entries!)
I have asked restaurants several times for their recipes and it has led to some interesting and amusing responses. Some years ago, I asked the chef at the Inn on Lake Waramaug (for those of you who remember that wonderful gathering place) for his recipe for a particularly tasty Indian Pudding. He shared his “secret.” And I quote, “you’ll find it on page 1024 of the Joy of Cooking.” So much for being unique.
And now I will share with you
Bailey’s Backyard Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients:
· Seedless watermelon
· Ripe cantaloupe melon
· Ripe honeydew melon
· Juice of 2 limes
· Handful of mint (optional)
· Note—While they did not give amounts, I found that a combination of half a watermelon, half a cantaloupe and half a honeydew melon is about right.
· This will serve 4-6 as a starter soup.
Directions:
· Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds. Do this in batches if necessary.
· Chill for several hours before serving.
Chef Rick’s Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients:
· 8 cups seedless watermelon
· 1 medium sized cucumber peeled and seeded
· ½ red pepper, seeded
· ¼ cup parsley (I prefer the Italian variety)
· 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
· 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
· ¾ tsp. salt
Note—The amount of watermelon is not exact. You can add/substitute cantaloupe and/or honeydew, but do not exceed 10 cups.
Directions:
· Cut melon, cucumber and pepper into medium chunks.
· Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds until all ingredients are smooth. (I use a blender.)
· Chill for a few hours before serving.
Let me know which version you prefer. Write to chefricklevy@hotmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you. Stay cool.
