Kiwi and Green Chile Gazpacho

At one of my favorite Santa Fe restaurants, the Coyote Cafe, the chefs use native ingredients to create dishes as gorgeous as works of art. One summer night I gobbled up the featured special, kiwi gazpacho, which had green chiles seamlessly woven into the soup. I’ve since created my own version, topping the cold soup with fresh strawberries, queso, and roasted corn in addition to kiwi. Sometimes I serve it as a cute mini appetizer in small cups the size of shot glasses. Otherwise, I serve it in clear glasses to show off the vibrant colors. 

---

Ingredients

Serves 4 ( as an appetizer, 5 ounce servings)

Soup:

• 2 roasted green chiles, chopped (about 1⁄2 cup)

• 6 kiwi fruits, peeled and finely chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish)

• 1large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

• Juice of 1 lime

• ¾ teaspoon green chile powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 cup crushed ice 

Garnish:

• 2 strawberries, stemmed and chopped

• 2 tablespoons Queso Fresco (or Feta)

• 1 tablespoon chopped green chile 

• 1 tablespoon grilled corn kernels

Process

Combine the chiles, kiwis, cucumber, lime juice, chile powder, salt, pepper, and ice in the bowl of a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste to see if more salt is needed. Pour into bowls and garnish with strawberries, cheese,corn, and reserved kiwi. You can serve this soup chilled or at room temperature. Keeps in the refrigerator for one day.