Chilled Charentais Melon Gazpacho with Albacore Ceviche

Higgins Restaurant, Chef Greg Higgins

Recipe courtesy of Oregon Wine + Food Cookbook, Danielle Centoni and Kerry Newberry

Wine Pairing: Argyle Vintage Brut

Serves 4 to 6

When chef Greg Higgins opened his eponymous Portland restaurant in 1994, he sparked a farm-to-table movement that has since become synonymous with the Portland food scene. This light and refreshing chilled soup is his ode to summer, when both pristine albacore tuna caught off the Oregon coast and sweet, juicy, fragrant melons are in season. The addition of Pinot Meunier in Argyle’s Vintage Brut gives the sparkler floral, poached apricot, and creamy almond notes that pair gorgeously with the honeyed melon flavor of the soup.

[Ingredients]

6 cups diced Charentais melon, or cantaloupe, galia, or honeydew (1-inch cubes)

3/4 cup lime juice (divided)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp honey

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 to 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 tsp toasted cumin seeds (see Note)

1 lb sashimi-grade albacore tuna loin, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3/4 cup cilantro leaves (divided)

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Note)

Extra-virgin olive oil

[Method]

In a blender or food processor, combine melon and 1/4 cup lime juice and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cold.

In a nonreactive mixing bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup lime juice and the honey. Add shallots, chiles, and cumin seeds. Season to taste. Add tuna and stir gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Fold half of the cilantro leaves into the ceviche. Season to taste.

Divide the chilled melon soup into shallow bowls. Place a spoon of ceviche in the center. Garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves, toasted almonds, and a drizzle of oil.

Note: To toast cumin seeds, heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add seeds and toast for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until they smell fragrant and darken slightly in color. Transfer to a plate to cool immediately.

To toast almonds, preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden.

Excerpted from Oregon Wine + Food: The Cookbook by Danielle Centoni and Kerry Newberry. Photography by John Valls. Copyright © 2023 by Danielle Centoni and Kerry Newberry. Recipes copyright © 2023 by individual restaurants. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.