When fruits and vegetables are at their peak, it's hard to imagine tampering with them at all. But, if your mother-in-law is coming to dinner, it doesn't matter how good those tomatoes are -- serving them sliced on a plate probably won't get you an A for effort unless you grew them yourself. Cold soups like this Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho are not only impressive looking, they're a cinch to make: blend it, strain it, chill it, serve it.

Not too sweet (thanks to a shallot and a glug of sherry vinegar), this soup is best served with a light protein like chicken, fish or shrimp. Lessen your load of dishes by mixing diced, cooked shrimp with the watermelon-tomato garnish before adding a scoop to each rosy bowl.

This week: An addition of sweet, chilled shrimp from the Seafood department takes Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho from garden classic to gourmet.

Photo by Jody Horton

MAKE: Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho by Whole Foods Market

Serves 4

6 cups roughly chopped seedless watermelon, divided
3 cups roughly chopped tomatoes, divided
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Put 5 1/2 cups of the watermelon, 2 1/2 cups of the tomatoes, shallots, oil, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, salt and pepper into a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer puree to a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl and strain puree, pressing as much through as possible; discard solids. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. 
2. Finely chop remaining 1/2 cup watermelon, 1/2 cup tomatoes and 2 tablespoons cilantro and toss together in a bowl. Pour chilled soup into bowls or glasses and top with watermelon-tomato mixture.

BUY: Cooked shrimp from the Seafood department

Shrimp isn't the only protein that pairs well with this savory fruit soup -- it would be equally good topped with crab meat, or served alongside a lemony chicken breast. For a vegetarian option, try it with Table9's feta-inflected Warm Weather Orzo Salad or choose a pasta salad from the Prepared Foods department.

Other chilled soups we enjoy:

Chilled Peach Soup
Cucumber Mint Soup
Cold Corn Soup with Basil-Chili Oil
Cold Grilled Heirloom Tomato Soup with Crab and Chives

Like this post? See our Make a Little, Buy a Little menu from last week featuring Summer Farro Salad.