Gazpacho

This cold soup is perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day and it certainly has been hotter than usual here in southern Arizona; in fact we’ve had many days over 100 degrees. Gazpacho is made by blending raw vegetables and then chilling. No cooking necessary keeping you and your house cool on a blistering hot day. It generally consists of tomatoes, green pepper, shallot or onion, cucumber, garlic, sherry vinegar and olive oil.

The soup originated in Andalusia, Spain, a region known for many gastronomic treats: fresh seafood, dry-cured Iberico pork, premium olive oil, aromatic spices and much more. It also claims the title of “Cold Soup Capital” of the world thanks to gazpacho.

There are many variations of this soup, but I stuck fairly close to Jose Garces’s recipe. I really like Jose Garces’s style. He’s a James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur, and author. He is best known for his mastery of Spanish and Latin American cuisine.

In 2009 he became an “Iron Chef” after competing on “The Next Iron Chef”. He also seems very humble and gives back to his community.

The only changes I made to his recipe was to add some fresh basil and a little Ancho Chili powder. I also garnished with smoked baby shrimp, tomato filets and homemade smoked paprika and garlic croutons.

Let’s talk about the soup. You would not think the soup could be as smooth and creamy as it is looking at all those raw veggies. The color of this soup is also different from many versions you will find in the United States as it uses no bread and a fairly good quantity of olive oil making it a beautiful shade of orange/pink, rather than bright red.

Start by peeling an English cucumber and cutting into chunks. Remove the core from 6 large tomatoes (about 3 lbs.). No need to peel or remove seeds as they will get totally obliterated in the blender. Peel and chop a medium sized shallot and 1 clove garlic. Cut the seeds and spine out of a green pepper. I used Anaheim for its deep green color and robust flavor. Chop about 1 Tbsp. fresh basil.

Layer the ingredients in the blender adding just a few at a time. You may have to blend in batches. Blend at high speed until very smooth; at least 3 or 4 minutes.

Pause and occasionally scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. With the motor running add the sherry vinegar, basil, ancho chili and 2 tsp. salt.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. As the oil goes in, the mixture becomes emulsified. If it still seems a little watery, add more olive oil. Taste for seasoning and acidity, which will depend on the sweetness of your tomatoes. If it’s not balanced enough add a little more vinegar. Garces then strains the soup into a pitcher to chill in the fridge several hours or overnight. I did not strain as it was perfectly creamy with no chunks whatsoever. I left the gazpacho in the blender in the refrigerator overnight and then next day gave it another couple of whirls before serving.

I used baby smoked shrimp for topping. I love this cold smoker and especially love it now that I know how to use it so am not filling the house with smoke!

Here is my husband, Jerry lighting the smoker.

You can use store-bought croutons, but they are very easy to make at home. Cut about 1 inch chunks from a good quality baguette. Spray with cooking spray, like PAM, and dust with smoked paprika, garlic powder and a little salt. Give them a quick toast and you’re done.

In researching Jose Garces’s recipe I learned a new term. I had never heard of “tomato filets”. They were also easy to make and added a nice touch to the garnishes.

Start by bringing a pan of water to a boil. Cut a small cross in the bottom of each tomato. Drop in the boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Immediately remove and plunge into an ice water bath.

Remove the skins, seeds and spine and cut the tomatoes evenly into thin strips or filets.

Finish garnishing the gazpacho with a drizzle of olive oil.

Easy to make and very satisfying. Plus with all those veg it is good for you!

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Gazpacho

Icy cold and packed with delicious vegetable flavor. Very satisfying on a hot day.

Ingredients

• 6 lge. Red Tomatoes, about 3 lbs.
• 4 Plum tomatoes for garnish
• 1 Anaheim pepper, or green pepper of your choice
• 1 English cucumber, about 12 inches long
• 1 Shallot
• 1 lge. Garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp. Sherry vinegar, more if needed to balance flavors
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, more to taste or thicken and more for drizzling as garnish
• 1/4 tsp. Dried ancho chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. Freshly chopped basil
• Suggested garnishes: tomato filets, croutons, smoked shrimp and a drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

• Start by assembling and preparing the vegetables. Core 6 ripe, red tomatoes and roughly cut into chunks.
• Peel and chop 1 English cucumber.
• Core, seed and roughly chop 1 long, green pepper, such as Anaheim.
• Peel and chop 1 medium sized shallot.
• Peel and chop 1 large clove garlic.
• Chop 2 Tbsp. fresh basil.
• Combine tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, shallot and garlic in a blender. Blend at high speed until very smooth; at least 3 to 4 minutes. You may have to blend in batches. Pause occasionally to scrape down sides of the blender.
• With the motor running, add the sherry vinegar, 2 tsp. salt, ancho chili and 1 Tbsp. fresh basil.
• Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn a vivid shade of pinkish/orange. If it seems too watery, drizzle in more olive oil until the texture is very creamy. Taste for seasoning and acidity. Add more vinegar and salt if necessary.
• Chill for several hours or overnight.
• Garnish with toasted croutons, tomato filets and smoked shrimp. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.