Pineapple Gazpacho
The first time I had pineapple gazpacho was in St. Lucia in the Caribbean. We stayed at Sugar Beach resort, which was beautiful. One day my husband and I signed up for a farm-to-table adventure, which ended with a five-course meal provided by the hotel’s chef.
The whole meal was stunning, but the gazpacho was especially memorable. Maybe because we participated in picking the pineapple in the field.
Or maybe because I got to play chef in the “cold” room of the hotel’s kitchen where prep work is done. I actually put the gazpacho together without knowing any ratios. But I must have done well because the chef approved.
After I placed all of the ingredients in a large bowl, the Chef put everything in a vitamix, and puréed it. Using a very large chinois, the soup was then strained.
At that point we left the prep kitchen and moved into the main kitchen where the chef prepared some sashimi for us, as we watched him cut up the kingfish, which was to be our main.
Eventually we were seated on the outside deck with a view of the ocean, crisp white wine in hand. Then here came the pineapple gazpacho. Isn’t it beautiful!
It was topped with chopped baby shrimp, cucumber, tomato and a few cilantro leaves, then drizzled with a little oil. So today I’m going to duplicate this gazpacho, if I can, although the tropical ambiance won’t be the same.
Pineapple Gazpacho
3 slices white bread with the crusts
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 medium-sized pineapple, peeled
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded
1/3 cup crème fraiche
Small bunch of cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
Soak the bread in the cream in a bowl.
Chop up the pineapple and place in a heavy-duty blender. Add the cucumber, crème fraiche, cilantro, and all of the remaining ingredients. Add the cream-soaked bread and blend until very smooth. Let sit for a few hours or overnight for the flavors to mingle.
Pour the mixture into a sieve like a chinois and strain well.
Taste for seasoning. It should taste like a fabulous blend of pineapple and cucumber, with a little zing from the hot sauce. It shouldn’t be salty or sweet.
Serve chilled.
The gazpacho is thin, but not watery. It’s very satisfying, and perfect for lunch, or like in St. Lucia, a first course for dinner.
About the Author: Chef Mimi
It has such a lovely flavor with the cucumber and seasoning!
I do love a good summer gazpacho! I’ve never made one with pineapples, though, so I can see how this one really would channel the tropical vibes. Hopefully eating this whisked you back to those days in St. Lucia!!
The flavors are incredible – pineapple, cucumber, and some zing from the hot sauce. A really wonderful flavor profile.
You’ll love it. It’s really unique, and such great flavors!
Interesting take on gazpacho. Love the flavors, though I’m not sure the heavy cream belongs in there, so would probably use water, as in the original. :)
Originally, it was milk, not water. However I did use creme fraiche instead of Greek yogurt, which was in the original recipe. I like both the cream and creme fraiche, because they keep the soup from being too watery, in my opinion.
Sounds amazing, and new to me! This would be a lovely starter for a dinner party.
It really would. Especially for a nice summer menu.
How interesting! I love that it’s neither salty, nor sweet. And so interesting that it incorporates bread! Amazing!
I’ve never made a gazpacho quite like it. Don’t really know what the bread does. I mean, that’s pretty much what’s left behind after the chinois step…
This is making me want a Vitamix more than ever! Nothing purées like a Vitamix. This looks really wonderful, Mimi. I will do the best I can with my blender and chinois. The scenery is absolutely stunning… I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen photographs of the island.
It was really beautiful, and we picked a fabulous hotel. And really lovely people. I finally bought a Vitamix years ago because I was tired of inferior blenders. I love it.
Feeling the tropical vibes! It is always so fun to learn new tricks and recipes, isn’t it? Must give this recipe a go. Love your smile, you look so happy in the kitchen.
I was happy. I had been so hot in the fields foraging, and then that room was so cold, but it was a really great experience. And my husband had fun, too!
hi mimi
well St Lucia looks amazing and this soup looks wonderful. I must give it a go in summer. I often make regular gazpacho and i think i made a white (or green?) one once but this looks different and interesting.
I’m no gazpacho expert. I think I’ve only made one! But this pineapple version is pretty amazing.
Such an interesting recipe. And I gather not too sweet? I would not mind the luxury of a vitamix for recipe such as these :)
Actually not sweet at all. Just a lovely pineapple flavor tempered with cucumber, and then you get the zing… it’s really lovely.
I’ve never been creative with gazpacho. Those sound wonderful! I guess it doesn’t help that my husband won’t eat anything “weird!” I need to start making more gazpachos! You’ll love this version.
What an incredible memory, I just love it when the taste, smell and texture of food takes me right back. I’ve made many gazpacho in my day but never pineapple.
It’s very unique from what I’ve gathered. Not a gazpacho expert.
You would definitely love this gazpacho!
Really, really interesting recipe. Such a different gazpacho (at least to me) — thanks!
You’re so welcome! It’s light and full of flavor.
It’s so good. I love the hot sauce zing!
I would love this version over the traditional one, pineapple makes more sense to me for cold soups
Actually you’re right! It really does make sense!
You words describing the experience are all the ambience I need. I know I’d love every drop. GREG
So refreshing and tasty! It looks pretty too.
It’s really good!
Oh Mimi, I love this story so much. What an amazing experience! And that pineapple gazpacho sounds so creative and delicious!
And it’s so so good. Subtle but great flavors, all with a little zing!
Such a unique gazpacho. And now I’m really wanting a farm to table adventure! Sounds like it was so much fun and a great experience — and delicious, of course. :-) ~Valentina
It was a really great day. I was hot, but I’m always hot in the sun! A wonderful experience and the gazpacho was my favorite treat of the day.
That’s a good Mom!!! This recipe is fabulous. Hope you get a chance to make it.
I’ve never had a cream based gazpacho. Yours looks and sounds great.
Interestingly enough, it was creamy. You’d never guess there was actually cream in it. It’s mostly about the pineapple and cucumber, which are both watery, so maybe the cream made the soup a bit more substantial in texture?
I was actually looking at St. Lucia as a possible holiday destination for Lynne and I this December recently Mimi. Our travel rules change by the day here though so it could be Mexico instead. Who knows? Anyway your Gazpacho recipe looks lovely. I love the sound of picking pineapple straight fresh from the fields then putting it straight into the recipe!
It was a fabulous experience, and I highly recommend this hotel. No idea of its status right now, of course. St. Lucia is beautiful. You can see the island in one day; we hired a driver and it was very relaxing. Very poor people, but very nice people.
What a great experience, cooking with the chef in a beautiful locale. I love those types of immersive experiences.
Such an unusual gazpacho and it sounds delicious.
Right. Quite unique and very tasty!