Newsletter Conchita's Recipes Conchita's Gazpacho
Conchita's Gazpacho
Serves 6-8
Gazpacho is a staple of my summertime kitchen. A cold, tomato-based soup whose roots are deep in the Iberian soil, it is low in calories and loaded with health-promoting antioxidants. Easily prepared, it keeps deliciously for up to a week in the refrigerator. Best of all, gazpacho pays tribute to the abundance of fresh produce that is summertime’s gift.
The Main Ingredients:
• 2 cucumbers - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 sweet red bell peppers - seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion - peeled and chopped.
• 1 clove garlic - peeled and chopped
• 32 oz. tomato juice
• A handful of fresh herbs – any mixture of basil, marjoram, thyme, parsley, oregano or mint leaves
The Optional Ingredients:
• Feel free to chop and add any of these optional ingredients to the main mixture, especially if you have lots on-hand or particularly like the taste:
- fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet bell peppers (green, yellow, orange), scallions.
• If you want a thicker soup, add more vegetables.
• If you want a thinner soup or you want to extend the quantity, add more tomato juice.
The Basic Seasoning:
• 2 Tbs. olive oil. Always use the best quality olive oil you can afford, especially in an uncooked recipe.
• 2 Tbs. vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white, rice, and herb or fruit-infused vinegars are all delicious). Don’t shy away from combining vinegars; they yield delicious surprises.
• A pinch of salt, sugar, black pepper.
• With these basics you have everything you need to make a delicious gazpacho. If you want to take it to next level, refer to “Beyond the Basics” Seasoning. Otherwise, skip to The Preparation.
“Beyond the Basics” Seasoning: (optional)
• I think of seasoning gazpacho as a yin-yang balancing act: the sweet offsets the sour, the hot offsets the cool. The more seasonings you include in your soup, the more intricate the alchemy of flavors, and the more complex the taste will be.
• Let your personal preferences guide you. Some like it hot! Others like it straightforward, simple and cool.
• Be creative and conservative at the same time. A little goes a long way.
• It’s much easier to add a flavor than to take it away.
• To add heat to your gazpacho: try a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
• To cool it down: add a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche.
• To make it sweeter: add some brown sugar, honey, molasses, tomato paste or orange juice. This will enhance the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes.
• To make it more tangy/sour: add fresh lemon or lime juice.
• To make it saltier: add a dash of Worcestershire or tamari/soy sauce.
The Preparation:
• Puree the main (and any optional) ingredients in a Cuisinart or blender. Most likely you will need to do this in batches.
• You can puree the soup briefly, leaving it somewhat chunky, or you can continue blending until the consistency is even and smooth.
• Season the soup.
• Refrigerate (preferably for 24 hours before serving). As the flavors commingle over time, they deepen and improve.
• Remember to adjust the seasonings once again before serving.
The Garnish:
• Presentation is important. Beautifully presented food inevitably tastes better.
• The silky redness of the gazpacho is an elegant contrast in color, texture and taste to any these garnishes:
- a sprinkling of fresh herbs; edible flowers (nasturtium is my favorite because it tastes like watercress); chopped cucumber, chives or avocado; a dollop of sour cream, plain yogurt or crème fraîche; a narrow wedge of lemon or lime; a sprinkling of croutons; a tortilla chip.
• Ladle soup into bowls and dress it up with your choice of garnish.
