Cool, bright, and impossibly elegant, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. Fresh English cucumbers get blended with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, shallot, garlic, and a hint of ground ginger, then strained until silky smooth and chilled to perfection. The real showstopper is the vibrant basil pesto swirl — just olive oil, fresh basil, garlic, and lemon — dragged into a gorgeous pattern right on top of each glass. Because every component is made from scratch with whole, simple ingredients, there's no need to scan labels for hidden mustard or mustard-derived additives that sneak into so many store-bought dressings and condiments. Keeping things mustard-free here is genuinely effortless since the bold flavor comes entirely from fresh herbs, citrus, and good olive oil. Serve them in shot glasses with a thin cucumber round on the rim and you've got a stunning, no-cook starter that tastes as impressive as it looks.
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2 large english cucumbers (about 2 lb total), roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp ground ginger
For the AIP pesto swirl
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
thin cucumber rounds, for serving (optional)
fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
1
Combine the chopped cucumbers, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and ground ginger in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds.
2
Pour the blended gazpacho through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing gently with a spatula until only dry pulp remains. Discard the pulp. Taste and adjust salt. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 30 minutes.
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