GAZPACHO

Gazpacho is a cold soup made of raw vegetables and served cold, usually with a tomato base originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. Gazpacho is widely eaten in Spain and neighboring Portugal particularly during the hot summers, as it is refreshing and cool. In Spain, gazpacho is actually sold in cartons in supermarkets and is sometimes treated as more of a drink than a soup.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2-3 lbs of tomatoes (preferable Roma, or some other variety with less water)
  • 1 Red Pepper, Italian Frying, or Cubanelle (inner membrane and seeds removed)
  • 2 cloves of raw garlic (roughly chopped before adding to the blender)
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled and seeds removed
  • 2 slices of day-old white crusty bread, crusts removed, broken into pieces
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Sherry Vinegar (Vinegar de Jerez)
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh Cracked Pepper

There are two ways I commonly make my gazpacho, each of which creates a different texture. The first way to do it is using an immersion blender, the other just being a standard kitchen blender. The advantage of using the immersion blender is that because the ingredients are mostly solid it makes it easier to puree the soup. When using the kitchen blender, the blade tends to spin without actually coming in contact with the ingredients while seriously slows down the process. However, when using the kitchen blender you will end up with a smoother, creamier soup.

To prepare the ingredients soak the bred in cold water for five minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid. While waiting for the bread, you can work on preparing the other ingredients. The pepper should be cut into chunks after removing the inner membrane and seeds. To prepare the tomatoes, remove the core and cut them into chunks. An optional step is to peel the tomatoes, (before cutting them into chunks) which I feel is more necessary when you are planning to use an immersion blender vs. the kitchen blender. As easy way to do this to cut a few slices into the tomatoes (just to slice the skin), drop the tomatoes into boiling water for about 30 seconds, the immediately drain them and run them under cold water. The skins will then come right off.

Place the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, bread, olive oil, and sherry vinegar all in the blender and puree to desired consistency.

*Warning* - Do not attempt to use a spoon or any other utensil to mash down the ingredients while pulsing in the blender. This sounds obvious, but you WILL become frustrated with how long it takes the ingredients to puree and the amount of times you will have to stop the blender, press down the ingredients, blend, and repeat. I've broken one... maybe two blenders in my life doing this. OK, I destroyed one blender, damaged another, and destroyed one wooden spoon in the process. Seriously. Don't do it.

Once all of the ingredients have been thoroughly blended, taste the mixture and adjust the level of salt, vinegar, and EVOO to taste. Once you are happy with the final result, move the gazpacho to the fridge and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Serve with a final drizzle of EVOO for presentation.

 

Other Inspirational Recipes

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/dining/gazpacho-recipe-video.html?_r=0