Summer in India and summer here are very different. Until I came here, I was never fond of summer. Summer back there is just three months of torture. Summer in India means scorching heat, dust, and excessive humidity. If you ever go there, you’ll hate India forever. For those 3-4 months, I used to hide in my parents’ bedroom because it has AC. Summer here is so much more pleasant! After the long grueling winter months, all I crave for is bright, sunny summer time. I get to wear my shorts and show my legs to the sunshine. I also get tanned, but I love it. Summer is all about luscious orange, bright long sunny days! I am a true summer girl.
Summer and cold soups are closely connected to each other. Last week, food 52 was featuring cold soups on their Facebook! I thought of making my all-time favorite Gazpacho after seeing their post.
Until I came to Boston, I had no clue about Gazpacho or my ultimate favorite soup. When I joined BostonGlobe in 2013, one day in our work cafe I found a weirdly named soup. I asked my colleague and now my husband what it was. He told me to try a spoonful, and I fell in love with it. I licked the styrofoam bowl clean within 5 minutes. Since then, whenever they made Gazpacho, I always had it. As I liked it so much, last year I decided to try Gazpacho on my own. It is very easy to prepare, extremely healthy and quite refreshing on long summer days.
When I was explaining this recipe to my mom, she wondered what the difference between gazpacho and tomato smoothing was. Well, GAZPACHO IS NOT TOMATO SMOOTHIE. It requires all the ingredients that make a tomato smoothie, but trust me, it’s not.
The first time I added tomato juice to gazpacho. Not because I love tomato juice, but because the recipe called for it. However, you ‘really’ do not need the tomato juice if you are using fresh, juicy tomatoes. I recommend you buy good quality tomatoes (not the trader Joe’s kind). Also, do not worry much about water content. Olive oil and sherry vinegar will do wonders. If you find that your gazpacho is too thick, I recommend you add a bit of water or tomato juice (in case you have it in your freezer like me). Remember, it’s creamy, not watery thin. Okay?
You should know how gazpacho is made traditionally. It’s a liquid salad from the ‘southern Spanish region of Andalusia’. It was made with ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, garlic and stale bread. After that, it is blended with olive oil, vinegar, and ice water. It is one of Andalusia’s best dishes and originated when Spain was part of the Islamic world. It is traditionally made in a mortar and bread is ideal when it is about a week old. First, you pound the bread and vegetable mixture, and then you add tomatoes, olive oil and finally vinegar. You always seed the tomatoes too!
You can skip the mortar and use an immersion blender, as it does not purify like a regular blender does. If you do not have an immersion blender, I recommend you puree half and chop the rest of it to get a nice texture. Once again, it’s not a smoothie! Texture matters. 🙂
You can garnish it with fresh avocado or herbs. The color of gazpacho should be in between pink and orange – not bloody red!
For better result, please use a day old bread.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomato, half finely chopped and half coarsely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, half finely chopped and half coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup almond meal
- 1 slice white bread, torn into 2-inches pieces
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 baby cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced(for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon cilantro, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. In a food processor, add 1/2 tomato, 1/2 green bell pepper, olive oil, almond meal, bread, vinegar. Work it until smooth. Take it aside in a bowl.
2. Add rest of the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, baby cucumber, jalapeno, garlic cloves, salt and black pepper. Stir to mix it well. Garnish with fresh avocado and cilantro and serve.
Lovely pics Dolphia! Specially the last one! Love your props!
The photos are spectacular Dolphia and that soup…..oh my… can I please be your neighbor?
Amazing Amazing !!! I will try this soon.
I love gazpacho and cooler soups in the hot weather. This looks and sounds like a feisty soup! I love adding a splash of gin to my tomato gazpacho.
Gin, I have never tried. But I will try that for sure 🙂 Thank you Meeta
Thanks Darling!
Thank you dear 🙂
You’re most welcome! I do not have any next door neighbour, the person stays only 1 month in his place :))
Gorgeous images !! Love the post
Thanks dear!