Gazpacho

[moosnsqrl]

No stale bread or garlic in your recipe... do you like it better that way? 

I generally like mine with less stock, but stale bread, garlic, and olive oil.  The bread keeps the things like tomato guts and cucumber guts from over-hydrating the soup, and the garlic and olive oil really make it smile.

I love gazpacho, and I think the world can always do with another recipe.

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You should ask your green grocer to gut your produce for you at the market.

[JAZ]

I found a great, very simple recipe in a cookbook called La Cocina de Mama and wrote about it here: gazpacho.

It's different from almost every other gazpacho recipe I've seen in the very short list of vegetables that go into it: no cucumbers, no onion. Tomatoes and a red bell pepper, garlic -- that's it. It's the best gazpacho I've ever made, and by far the easiest.

I've never heard of adding stock to gazpacho; is that common?

[Dave Hatfield]

No stale bread or garlic in your recipe... do you like it better that way? 

I always serve it with garlic croutons as I like the crunch you get that way.

My croutons are just stale bread chunks mixed well with some good olive oil, herbs de provence and garlic and roasted until crisp.

Works either way, I think.

[Dave Hatfield]

I've never heard of adding stock to gazpacho; is that common?

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Don't know if its common or not. I started adding it because once you've peeled & deseeded the cucumbers & peeled, deseeded & cored the tomatoes I found that the taste was right, but the gazpacho was too thick. So I added stock for consistency ( I was afraid that plain water would dilute the flavot too much.)

Like the recipe you pointed at & will try it. It reminds me of how I was served gazpacho years ago when I lived in Madrid. In a relatively 'posh' restaurant they would serve the mainly tomato soup with small bowls of diced cucumber, spring onions, peppers, croutons & more tomato on the side for you to add as you wished. Tasted good & was a nice presentation.

[JAZ]

I've never heard of adding stock to gazpacho; is that common?

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Don't know if its common or not. I started adding it because once you've peeled & deseeded the cucumbers & peeled, deseeded & cored the tomatoes I found that the taste was right, but the gazpacho was too thick. So I added stock for consistency ( I was afraid that plain water would dilute the flavot too much.)

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One great thing about this recipe was that there's no seeding or peeling of the tomatoes, so the only prep is seeding the red pepper and quartering it and the tomatoes. Then they go into the food processor with a small chunk of bread, some garlic, and a splash of sherry vinegar. Then you add half a cup of olive oil slowly while the processor is running, and then you strain the soup.

[LaurieB]

Try your favorite gazpacho (definitely a summer favorite of mine) but use yellow tomatoes & yellow peppers (a little bit of red pepper is nice for color). Garnish with shredded basil & a couple of grilled shrimp.

[Bill Miller]

I don't use stock--I use tomato juice because I love the tomato flavor. I also add celery (strings removed). I chop everything very small and puree about 1/3 of the vegis in the tomato juice and then stir in the rest of them. No bread. The next morning I add fresh lime juice and top with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. Top with crutons. Everything else is like yours Dave. I like a lot of chunks.

Edited June 23, 2006 by Bill Miller (log)

[slbunge]

It seems like the focus here is on the tomato-based chilled soups. I don't want to hijack the thread, but 'gazpacho' either means (or has come to mean) pretty much any soup of Spanish origin or even marginally Spanish-inspired.

With that in mind, there is a good recipe for Almond 'gazpacho' from Malaga in the August 2002 Gourmet (recipe and picture here). Great mild white creaminess with a bit of body from the bread and tangy green grapes.

Nice for those hot days before the spectactular garden tomatoes of summer have arrived for the tomato-based chilled soups.

[Pam R]

I second the tomato juice for thinning.

I make some very nontraditional Gazpachos that really have no right to be called Gazpacho, but I do anyway.

Favorite one uses melon (honeydew and cantaloupe) onion, red pepper, cucumber, fresh lemon and lime juice and lots of herbs. Very refreshing.

[russ parsons]

my favorite gazpacho base is fresh seeded tomatoes, soaked stale bread and garlic pureed, then thinned with ice cubes in a blender. then add a little vinegar and a thin stream of olive oil. from there, you can garnish as you wish. this is not my recipe, but my adaptation of janet mendel's.

[sazji]

I recently had a cold summer soup common (with many variations) in the Mediterranean area of Turkey (Anamur, Mersin, Adana, Silifke) which reminded me very much of Gazpacho, but I actually liked it much better. Something about the texture of gazpacho doesn't quite sit right with me. But if you are feeling adventurous, try this:

Batirik

6 medium tomatoes, grated (the peel will be left behind in you hand)

1 c fine bulgur

1 onion, finely chopped

3 small cucumbers - crosshatch the ends by hitting with a knife, then slice to get small pieces

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch (around 12) scallions

5-6 sprigs mint

1-2 tablespoons pepper paste (you'll need to go to a middle eastern grocery for this)

1/3 c olive oil

1/2 c peanuts, pan roasted, processed till fine but not to peanut butter!

1/2 c sesame seeds, pan roasted till lightly brown, processed finely

1/3 c tahini, "fried" in a small pan

1 c or a little less of shredded cooked cabbage

Juice of several lemons (to taste)

Water

Salt

1/2 t cumin (optional)

Grate tomatoes, add bulgur and let soak for half an hour. knead with onion, parsley and mint. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead together. The pepper paste is generally salty but add salt to taste if necessary.

At this point you can do one of two things:

1. form mixture into "croquettes," and serve with leaves of romaine lettuce, with lemon juice on top, or

2. Add water until you get a soup, and add lemon juice to taste, chill.

I have also done it with lots more tomatoes instead of adding water. It's not traditional but it was damn good.

The amount of tahini is variable too - some people use a lot more.

I've also seen recipes including chopped peppers.

Edited June 23, 2006 by sazji (log)

[racheld]

Will you share the gazpacho recipe? Our friends the Constant Travelers will be here from one of their sojourns this next week---they're vegans, and I've been trying to think of something else for a patio supper. We've already planned on lots of grilled vegetables and fruits, but a cold soup to start would be such a nice addition.

However, they DID write me of the excellent Shrimp and Grits they enjoyed all along the Carolina coasts---some things are just irrestible, I guess.

And it would also be perfect for an arbor lunch the next week, when some Brit friends will be here---they've requested chicken/apple salad again for lunch, and gazpacho would be perfect to precede that as well.

[pedie]

Will you share the gazpacho recipe? 

I am happy to. I received this recipe from a family friend who has passed away and I think of her everytime I make it.

Helen's Gazpacho

1/2 Red onion -- chopped

1 carrot -- grated

½ red & green pepper -- diced small

2 cucumbers - small -- diced small

3 tomatoes - large -- peeled, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic -- minced

1/2 cup basil

2 Tablespoons cilantro

1/2 cup corn kernels (I use white frozen corn)

2 cups tomato juice – spicy (I often used Clamato)

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 avocado -- diced

salt and pepper

lime wedges

Puree tomatoes, basil, cilantro, carrot, and 2/3 of the cuke, onion,

peppers.

Stir puree into the tomato juice, oil, sugar, hot sauce, vinegar, salt &

pepper.

Add remaining diced cuke, onion, peppers, corn kernels.

Chill thoroughly.

Add diced avocado just before serving. Serve with lime wedges.

I usually by a 32 ounce jar of Clamato juice and double the recipe. It makes a huge bowl but we eat off of it for days. Also, the ingredients do not have to be exact, judge by your own taste. Usually I just dice up what I have so there may be more pepper or more cucumber. Whatever...

Patricia

[racheld]

Thank you kindly, Ma'am---it sounds scrumptious. I was hoping it wouldn't call for broth or stock. I think this will look beautiful in clear cups for the lunch, and perhaps in wide clear salad bowls for the patio supper.

I've also been known to serve everyone's cold soup in a mis-matched group of clear sugar-bowls.

[edwardsboi]

I have a question about gazpacho and tomatoes that I've never understood.

I always hear that you should never put a tomatoe in the fridge because it destroys the flavor. Yet, for a gazpacho, you need to chill it.

How come putting a gazpacho in the fridge doesn't become an issue with regards to the flavor of the tomatoes you use in the dish?

Sherry vinegar is great in Gazpacho -- it's become one of my favorite ingredients (good in succotash too).

I've been using the recipe from the Jul/Aug 2001 Cooks Illustrated -- tomatoes, red bell pepper, cukes, sweet onion, garlic, sherry vinegar, tomato juice, and hot pepper sauce. It's great for picnic thermoses.

Can you tell us what the recipe was? I tried looking for it, but you need a subscription to Cook's Illustrated to get access to that recipe.

And, what's the traditional vinegar for gazpacho- I've seen various kinds from sherry vinegar, white, etc..

[LindaK]

It's that time of year again, so let me bump up this topic with a question.

Must gazpacho be a chunky soup, or can it be a puree?

I've never been a big fan of gazpacho, but it's been hot around here and there it was on the restaurant menu last night, so I went ahead and ordered it. Am I glad I did, it turned out to be a fabulous cold soup with all the flavors of gazpacho--but smooth, no chunks except a couple of croutons on top. Is this really gazpacho? If you make your gazpacho this way, any recipes or tips would be welcome. If it's heresy, please do explain!

[nikkib]

This is my recipe handed down from a friend - its simple and quick but i love it,

700g firm red ripe tomatoes

aprx 10cm long cucumber, peeled and chopped

2 or 3 spring onions, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

half a large green pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 heaped tsp fresh chopped basil, marjoram and thyme

4 tbsp olive oil

25ml white wine vinegar

salt and freshly milled black pepper

Begin by scoring the bottoms of the tomatoes with a sharp knife and placing them in a bowl filled with boiling water; after a minute or two the skins will loosen and slip off very easily. Halve the tomatoes, scoop out and discard the seeds and roughly chop the flesh. Now place the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, crushed garlic and chopped pepper into a liquidiser, adding to it the salt and pepper, herbs, oil and wine vinegar. Blend everything at top speed until the soup is absolutely smooth.

Taste to check the seasoning and pour the soup into a bowl. Stir in a little cold water to thin it slightly, cover with foil and chill thoroughly. Serve with little bowls of chopped red and green peppers, diced spring onion, diced cucumber, chopped parsley and crisp croutons so that everyone can garnish as required. If its really hot i make ice cubes with chopped herbs in and then serve the gazpacho with the ice cubes as alast minute garnish. I like mine spicy so add tabasco or chopped chillis to my portion at the end - enjoy with a great home made bread and a chilled glass of manzanilla mmmmm

Also - not gazpacho i know but i make a killer chilled avocado and cucumber soup which i serve

with white crab meat and chopped avocado, cucumber, tomato and red onion as a garnish.

[JAZ]

Linda, although I always liked pretty much any style of gazpacho, when I had a smooth "authentic" version at a Spanish restaurant, I was hooked and spent ages trying to find a recipe for something similar. I finally found it in Penelope Casas' book La Cocina de Mama. I actually bought the book just for that recipe; I've never made anything else from it and still think it was the best $30 I ever spent. The recipe is online here: Andalusian gazpacho.

It's really easy. Since you strain the soup, you don't have to seed or skin the tomatoes. At first, I thought it strange that the recipe didn't call for onion or cucumber -- I'd always had gazpacho with them and thought they were standard. Casas says no, so I believe her. And the only chunky vegetable in this is some red bell pepper added as a garnish if you want. Again, she says this the authentic method. In any case, I've never used any other recipe since I came across this one.

A couple of suggestions if you try this: First, unless you hate cumin, I suggest adding it; it provides some depth of flavor. Second, use a good quality sherry vinegar and olive oil; they do make a difference in this recipe. Third, I never find that the sugar is necessary, but then again I use Campari tomatoes, which are pretty sweet. You might want to leave it out and add it at the end if you think it's necessary.

[LindaK]

Thanks, nikkib and Janet, those recipes are great starting points for me to experiment. I'm pretty sure the gazpacho I had last night was slightly different than either of your recipes--no green pepper (à la nikkib's recipe) or cumin (à la Jaz's recipe), and it definitely included cucumber. But now I'm starting to understand the fun of playing with this basic set of ingredients. Maybe I'll be a convert after all.

Any other gazpacho partisans out there?

[Lapin d'Argent]

One of my favorites is from an old back-issue of Gourmet -- but I can not longer find it on Epicurious. However, this one is very close. The only change I would make is to not bother to soak the bread in water first; it will get plenty moist from the soup ingredients.

Also, the most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated has a recipe for Creamy Gazpacho that looks pretty good.

Personally, I prefer the creamier, less chunky style, although a garnish of finely chopped vegetables is lovely.

[AAQuesada]

Am I the only one who adds bread to my gazpacho? I think that without it the soup is too watery. I also don't like it with garlic or hot peppers.

Here's my recipe

I pretty much stick to the classic gazpacho myself, there are so many updated versions around I feel more innovative not innovating! But then I do like Lopez de Heredia too ;^)

For me its not gazpacho with out the 'pa' for pan. Veggies got to be raw, it's hard to get the right green peppers out here for spanish cuisine though. I don't know how to describe them but they are thin skinned and not as bitter as the ones you see here. Finished with good olive oil and sherry vin. I'm okay with the lurid orange color, the bread gives the whole thing a creamy texture that balances the sweetness of ripe veg and acidity.

Arturo

[Paul Bacino]

Its the Tomato season for us.. But how can I preserve it

Gazpacho ?

I made a batch today, I guess I won't chill it ? But plan on using it over the week and would like to see if I could store it for awhile.

3/4 Blender Fresh Tomato, 3 garlic clove, 1/ 2 Serrano, 1/2 cucumber, good aged sherry vinegar and spanich Evoo, S and P-- I blended it all!!

I will add in chopped tomato and blend with some bread later

Ideas?

[EnriqueB]

Paul, I make a couple of 3-liter batches of gazpacho per week, which usually keep for 2/3 days. As soon as I finish preparation I pour it on vacuum-sealable tupper-style containers and make a vacuum on them. Keep in the fridge and, when they are served, re-vacuum as soon as possible. They keep well.

Heston Blumenthal suggests to juice or blend one or two fresh tomatoes just before consumption and add them to the stored gazpacho to "regain its freshness". I do it from time to time but more often than not I don't bother.

[Paul Bacino]

Thanks.. EnriqueB

[LizD518]

I'm having a friend over for dinner on Tuesday and decided to make gazpacho so I can put a dent in the mound of tomatoes I have at the moment...before the next batch ripen! I have a recipe for a golden gazpacho from Aliza Green that looks lovely, but I'm not sure what to serve with it. My friend is on a soy and dairy-free diet at the moment, as she is nursing (so, soy, dairy and spicy-free actually). Any sugggestions? I'm thinking a nice bread, brushed with olive oil and grilled, but I don't really want to do more tomatoes and I don't love olive tapenade either. Some other sort of topping? And I'll maybe do grilled chicken or shrimp with fresh herbs as well on the side.