Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a wonderful summer soup and a tradional Spanish Classic, however I like to use it for a dinner party anytime of the year and substitute it for a salad course.  You can even use it as  an item at a cocktail party by filling it into shot glasses or sherry glasses. It also works well in the shot glasses on a brunch buffet.  Traditionally it is made with vegetables only but it you want to twist it up it is a great vehicle for shrimp or crab. I hope you enjoy mine.  I prefer my Gazpacho smooth, however if you, like yours chunky do not puree the 2nd half of the vegetables. As I have written before make it to your taste or why bother.

2 lbs of ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 to 5 large cloves of garlic

2 large spanish onions diced

3 large red bell peppers seeded and diced

2 cucumbers peeled, seeded and diced

1 /4 cup of minced parsley

1 tbl of salt

1 tbl of black pepper

1 tbl of hot paprika

2 cup of tomato juice( use a very high quality one such as campbells or for a twist try 2 cups of a good Bloody Mary mix)

juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup of sherry vinegar

1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

a 1 to 1 1/2 lb loaf  of a rustic artisan type bread with the crust trimmed off and cut into large cubes and air dried for a few hours

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl mix all the vegetables together along with the salt and pepper and let sit for an hour or so. Soak the bread with the tomato juice and let set for about an hour. Puree 1/2 the vegetables and the bread in a food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl and puree the remaining vegetables and add to the previous puree(if you like it chunky omit this step and just add the diced vegetables and their juices to the puree).

Add the parsley, oil, vinegar, lem0n juice, paprika and stir together. Chill for 1/2 an hour, taste and adjust with salt and pepper. If you want it hotter add some tabasco sauce to punch it up.

For a little something different serve the Gazpacho  in a large flat soup bowl with a 1/4 cup of crabmeat, or large diced shrimp mounded in the center. Make sure however you serve it your serving dishes are kept chilled until service and the Gazpacho is very cold.

 Eat Well

Chef Tim