Chilled cucumber soup

2 cups 1-inch cubes crustless Italian or French bread;

2 cups cold water;

4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced cucumbers (about 1 pound);

3 cups seedless green grapes (about 12 ounces);

2 garlic cloves, chopped;

3⁄4 cup blanched almonds, preferably Marcona, toasted and finely chopped, plus more for garnish;

3 tablespoons verjus or sherry vinegar;

1⁄2 cup extravirgin olive oil;

1 teaspoon kosher salt;

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper;

1 teaspoon green Tabasco sauce, or to taste;

1⁄4 cup quartered green grapes, for garnish.

Put the bread cubes in a medium bowl, pour the water over them, and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze the bread dry and place in a large bowl.
Stir in the cucumbers, grapes, garlic, and almonds. Working in batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender, adding enough of the verjus and oil to each batch to keep it moving. Don’t rush this step; it might take more than 1 minute for the mixture to get completely smooth.
Pour the puree into a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Press the puree through the sieve with a rubber spatula. Discard any solids. Season the soup with the salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, whisk the soup and adjust the seasoning. Serve chilled, garnished with almonds and grapes.
Note: Verjus (verjuice) means “green juice” and is the pressed juice of unripe grapes. Verjus has a fruity, sweet-tart flavor that is milder than vinegar. It’s good in vinaigrettes or drizzled over food in place of fresh lemon juice. It’s sold in bottles in gourmet stores, natural food stores, and online.