Food

Gazpacho

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I love gazpacho!   It is the perfect summer time soup and a great way to take advantage of garden bounty.  Gazpacho is a staple of Andalusia, in southern Spain; but it is enjoyed anywhere a discerning pallet can be found.  Traditionally associated with peasant fair, it is thus a very forgiving recipe, which can be and has been adapted to accommodate supplies on hand and personal taste.

Ingredients:

2-3 Pounds of fresh diced Tomatoes

About ½ cup of stale bread

1 diced Cucumbers – I prefer to leave the peeling on

1 diced Bell Pepper

1 small to medium Red Onion

4 cloves of roasted Garlic

1/2 cup of Vinegar – Sherry or Apple Vinegar, if you have it

½ cup of Olive Oil

Water, as needed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash all vegetables, peel onions and garlic.  In a blender, add bread and half of the tomatoes, you may pour in a ¼ cup of water or stock, to get the pureeing process started.  Add half of the rest of the ingredients, and process until smooth.  Pour this half, of the soup, into a large bowl, preferable glass.  The soup can either be served perfectly pureed and creamy, which is how I prefer it; or it can be served with a bit of texture, by processing the second batch of ingredients until blended, but not pureed.

Add second batch to the first batch, stir, and taste.  The longer the soup sits, the brighter the taste will be.  You may need to add a bit of salt, and perhaps more vinegar.  After a few hours, the pepper, tomatoes, and garlic will be much more pronounced.  This is a refreshing first course or great appetizer, served in small little cups.

It is important that this soup be served cold; let it chill over-night, giving the ingredients time to meld, and fully develop all flavors.  Garnish with diced vegetables, of your choice, before serving.

Optional:

This dish can be garnished with the very vegetables used to make the soup, or you may want to finely dice zucchini and carrots, and add croutons.

To make your own croutons: Dice stale French bread, put bread in a glass bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and a little oregano.  Make sure bread is coated, place cubes on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until crunchy, in a 400 degree oven.



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