Avocado Gazpacho with Spiced Croutons

Ingredients

• Spiced Croutons, recipe follows
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2-cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus additional, for garnish
• 1 small jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced (including green tops)
• 2 ripe avocadoes
• Salt

Directions

Make spiced croutons up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

In a blender, puree cucumbers, lime juice, 1/2 cup broth, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, jalapeno, green onions, and 1 of the avocadoes, diced. Season, to taste, with salt. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until next day.

To serve, thin gazpacho with additional broth if desired. Dice remaining avocado finely and add to gazpacho base. Pour into bowls and garnish with cilantro leaves and croutons.

• Spiced Croutons
• 1/2 loaf (8 ounces) crusty bread
• 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 teaspoons ground chile powder, such as ancho
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Freshly ground pepper

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F. Cut bread into small cubes and spread on a baking sheet. Toast in oven until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Melt butter and stir in ground chile powder, salt, ground cumin, thyme, and pepper to taste. Pour over bread cubes and toss to coat. Return to oven and toast 5 minutes more.