Your favorite gazpacho recipe

[peregrina2000]

A friend just gave me a huge bag of delicious tomatoes and what better use for them than gazpacho?

I have a few recipes, but I'm wondering what your favorite is.

Thanks and buen camino, Laurie

p.s. BTW, this year on the Cami Catala, LTfit introduced me to a wonderful grocery store product -- gazpacho in a box. We had some absolutely delicious gazpacho, it's ridiculously cheap and was so refreshing on those really hot days.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

It's not the classic recipe but I make this green gazpacho all the time:
http://liveanddiet.com/2014/07/healthy-green-gazpacho-recipe.html

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, pudgypilgrim, this recipe looks great and I will try it sometime. But if I were to use it now, I'd have to make about 50 batches to use up my tomatoes. So I'm hoping to find some more standard red gazpacho varieties to use them all up. Buen camino, and thanks, Laurie

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi Laurie,

I eyeball quantities, but basically for a blender size about 4-6 large tomatoes, a good sized cucumber and 2 peppers. Add a small onion, couple cloves of garlic, salt and pepper and a bit of balsamic vinegar. Traditionally also oil, but not tons, just a good drizzle. Stick in the blender until you get the consistency you desire. If you want you can also add a hand full of bread crumbs for extra body. If tomatoes are not in season, or if you want to concentrate the tomato flavout you can add some V8.

If you use V8, watch the salt, you may not need to add any. You can then cut up the same veggies in little cubes to add after blending for added texture.

Balsamic may sound strange for a Spanish recipe but if live s up the flavours.

Bon appetit.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I use a handful of almonds rather than breadcrumbs, as I once had to address the needs of a guest who needed to avoid gluten, and remembered a Spanish pilgrim's recipe for gazpacho with almonds (she said that this was gazpacho andaluz, but some recipes I have found do not support this)-- according to her, this was on account of economic necessity, as bread cost money, and almonds were free. All one had to do was to pick them from trees.

 

[domigee]

I made various batches of this one this Summer and I found it very good, it tasted just like the one I made with Spanish friends a few years ago...
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jun/24/how-to-make-perfect-gazpacho

The recipe is right at the end of the blah blah... Btw, I didn't sieve it, it was very smooth.

(Bear in mind there are many recipes, some will say NO onions, others NO green pepper, or NO bread.... Very like the French and their pot-au-feu )

 

[Kanga]

Dear Laurie, your request sent me rushing to my mother's wonderful old copy of "El Libro de Doña Petrona" - her copy published in the 1950s in Argentina. Amazing illustrations. Sadly, no recipe for gazpacho. I don't think it was fancy enough. But I thank you - some of these old recipes need reviving.

 

[jayree]

I also loved the gazpacho in a box, Often I drank one for breakfast.
Alton Brown has a good recipe for gazpacho.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gazpacho-recipe.html

 

[alansykes]

I like Anemone's recipe, and agree that adding the chopped cucumber after blending the onions, tomatoes etc gives it a bit of extra crunch. Also a bit of cumin is nice as well as vinegar (balsamic is fine, but I think I prefer sherry vinegar). I wonder what the andalucians used as a base before the tomato got to Europe?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I like Anemone's recipe, and agree that adding the chopped cucumber after blending the onions, tomatoes etc gives it a bit of extra crunch. Also a bit of cumin is nice as well as vinegar (balsamic is fine, but I think I prefer sherry vinegar). I wonder what the andalucians used as a base before the tomato got to Europe?

The basic gazpacho is made with water, oil, bread and garlic. Not unlike the beautiful sopa de ajo which also has pimenton and egg. The tomato version is just that, a version. A well known gazpacho is the one made with raw almonds, aka "Ajo blanco". And yes to the sherry vinegar, it would be more proper, but since I would not use it for anything else I cheat and opt for quality balsamic. I think what is key here is a quality vinegar, not the white stuff that goes on french fries . As I was going to make gazpacho today I will try the version with cumin, lime and jalapeno. I think Alton Brown may have confused Mexican salsa with Gazpacho but will give it a try. Thanks for the recipes!

 

[peregrina2000]

I made various batches of this one this Summer and I found it very good, it tasted just like the one I made with Spanish friends a few years ago...
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jun/24/how-to-make-perfect-gazpacho

The recipe is right at the end of the blah blah... Btw, I didn't sieve it, it was very smooth.

(Bear in mind there are many recipes, some will say NO onions, others NO green pepper, or NO bread.... Very like the French and their pot-au-feu )

Thanks a million! So I think I will just experiment with a few of these recipes for red gazpacho. I am not sure about the bread, Anemone leaves it out and puts in onions; the Guardian leaves out onions and puts in bread. Any advice?

 

[Pelegrin]

I like Anemone's recipe, and agree that adding the chopped cucumber after blending the onions, tomatoes etc gives it a bit of extra crunch. Also a bit of cumin is nice as well as vinegar (balsamic is fine, but I think I prefer sherry vinegar). I wonder what the andalucians used as a base before the tomato got to Europe?

Good question Alan.

Before the tomato got to Europe. Granada, Malaga and Almería were still Al Andalus. According to Internet the recipe was breadcrums, olive oil and vinegar. Did the christians in Seville eat the same gazpacho as the muslims in Granada. I don't know.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks a million! So I think I will just experiment with a few of these recipes for red gazpacho. I am not sure about the bread, Anemone leaves it out and puts in onions; the Guardian leaves out onions and puts in bread. Any advice?

Well, depending on which diet I am on I add, or not, the bread crumbs and/or olive oil I just made a batch of Alton Brown's recipe and I think this is the perfect American recipe: like its immigration it's a melting pot of Italian, Mexican and Spanish . Depending on the spoonful I am tasting I taste picadillo, pizza tomato sauce or, because of the onion in particular, traditional Gazpacho. It's not bad, and if I wasn't comparing it to traditional gazpacho, it would do, but with all the mix of flavours ghe whole thing ends up, ironically, a bit bland. I just shoved all the ingredients in the Vitamix. Will taste again in 2 hours post refrigeration.

 

[alansykes]

Thanks a million! So I think I will just experiment with a few of these recipes for red gazpacho. I am not sure about the bread, Anemone leaves it out and puts in onions; the Guardian leaves out onions and puts in bread. Any advice?

At the risk of insulting my employer, I go for bread and onions. If you miss out the water, you get salmorejo, which is gorgeous, especially if you can find a few tacos de jamón to add (possibly not easy in Illinois), and perhaps a chopped boiled egg. Yum.

 

[peregrina2000]

At the risk of insulting my employer, I go for bread and onions. If you miss out the water, you get salmorejo, which is gorgeous, especially if you can find a few tacos de jamón to add (possibly not easy in Illinois), and perhaps a chopped boiled egg. Yum.

You must have read my mind, Alan, because I was just thinking of some wonderful salmorejo I had in Madrid this spring, and my impression was that it was just a bit heavier than gazpacho but with a lot of the same flavor. So it's pretty much the same thing? Do they serve salmorejo in Andalucia too?

 

[plrinPorto]

A friend just gave me a huge bag of delicious tomatoes and what better use for them than gazpacho?

I have a few recipes, but I'm wondering what your favorite is.

Thanks and buen camino, Laurie

p.s. BTW, this year on the Cami Catala, LTfit introduced me to a wonderful grocery store product -- gazpacho in a box. We had some absolutely delicious gazpacho, it's ridiculously cheap and was so refreshing on those really hot days.

 

[peregrina2000]

My default recipe was going to be from Penelope Casas' book, The Foods and Wines of Spain. It varies from the other suggestions here a little, so I'll stick it in too.

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1 cucumber
4T red wine vinegar
1/4 t. tarragon
1/4 t sugar
1 clove garlic
1 cup ice water (if the tomatoes aren't flavorful, use tomato juice)
Salt
Diced cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and onion for garnish.

 

[plrinPorto]

Sorry, everyone, I'm new to posting messages....Here's what I meant to type!
After almost 3 years in Andalucía, I'm spoiled by authentic gazpacho. My go-to recipe was given to me by an ex-pat American and his Spanish wife.

• 4 fresh and soft (his words) medium tomatoes, no skin (Where I shopped the vendor selected the produce you wanted; if I said "para gazpacho" she knew exactly what to sell me and they were always perfect.)
• 2 small green banana peppers (we don't have these in the US - I substitute red bell peppers)
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 T wine vinegar (sherry)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 C water
• 2 to 4 slices bread
• salt to taste

Blend until liquid. You can strain it for a smoother texture, especially if you included the tomato seeds.
Quantities can be changed to taste. Sometimes I'll add peeled cucumber (no seeds).
I serve this with diced: tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and boiled egg.
Forget the salsa (wrong flavor palette), onions, and other herbs/spices...you don't need them for an authentic dish.
If you don't want to add the bread, add water as needed to make it the consistency you prefer.

!Buen provecho!

 

[alansykes]

My default recipe was going to be from Penelope Casas' book, The Foods and Wines of Spain. It varies from the other suggestions here a little, so I'll stick it in too.

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1 cucumber
4T red wine vinegar
1/4 t. tarragon
1/4 t sugar
1 clove garlic
1 cup ice water (if the tomatoes aren't flavorful, use tomato juice)
Salt
Diced cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and onion for garnish.

Sounds pretty close to perfect. Minor cosmetic suggestion: use red pepper for the base to give a more intense colour, and green for the garnish. Tarragon is a great addition (and/or thyme). I carry a pepper mill with me on camino. It occasionally raises eyebrows, but I know of few things which aren't improved by freshly ground peppercorns, especially gazpacho.

Salmorejo is apparently a speciality of Córdoba.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

My default recipe was going to be from Penelope Casas' book, The Foods and Wines of Spain. It varies from the other suggestions here a little, so I'll stick it in too.

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1 cucumber
4T red wine vinegar
1/4 t. tarragon
1/4 t sugar
1 clove garlic
1 cup ice water (if the tomatoes aren't flavorful, use tomato juice)
Salt
Diced cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and onion for garnish.

Tarragon? Tarragon? I know it used to be grown by my relatives in Mexico, but always thought it was because of their French ancestry. As for sugar and water, that should depend on the tomatos you get.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ah, but we also used to bring back morilles from the same place the taragon was from? Got to love immigration, makes all of our lives richer.

 

[domigee]

I had Salmorejo in Sevilla and loved it so made it as well when back from the VdlP, here's the recipe I used
http://spanishsabores.com/2011/09/22/antonias-salmorejo-recipe/

I put bread in the Gazpacho btw because being on my own in Spain for a while I always had left over bread. Waste not want not
¡Buen provecho!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I have the ultimate gazpacho recipe, as well as the world's most awesome Ajo Blanco recipe. But if you want to try them, and copy them out, you have to come here, in late summer, and taste them for yourself.
We are living on the stuff just now. It is heavenly.

 

[domigee]

Wish I could, but hey ho!

 

[peregrina2000]

I have the ultimate gazpacho recipe, as well as the world's most awesome Ajo Blanco recipe. But if you want to try them, and copy them out, you have to come here, in late summer, and taste them for yourself.
We are living on the stuff just now. It is heavenly.

Not fair, Reb! I am working in late summer, so are you going to deprive me of this treat till I retire?

 

[peregrina2000]

So with Anemone and the Guardian as my guide, I went with onions but no bread, no oil, and used sherry vinegar instead of balsamic. I've slurped a few spoons and it is very good to my humble palette, but I think gazpacho is one of the few things in the world that needs to be eaten very very chilled, so it's now in the refrig.

I was feeling lazy and decided to try the immersion blender instead of the food processor, so I just dumped all the ingredients in the pot and started to blend. No chunks left but a slightly thicker texture than if I had used the processor. It was a little tedious since the veggies were raw and there was very little independent liquid, but once the tomatoes started to fall apart it got a lot easier.

My friend has an overabundance of tomatoes in her garden this year so I will be tweaking this over the next month or so. Turns out it wasn't a good year for tomatoes in my area, so it's a perfect year for lots of gazpacho -- the taste of the tomatoes is fine, but the texture is a bit off the classic wonderful Illinois tomato.

Thanks everyone! Laurie

 

[OTH86]

I have the ultimate gazpacho recipe, as well as the world's most awesome Ajo Blanco recipe. But if you want to try them, and copy them out, you have to come here, in late summer, and taste them for yourself.
We are living on the stuff just now. It is heavenly.

With global warming, is Oct 29 within range of "late summer"??? That's about when I'll be in Moratinos again, and would LOVE to have a taste! Terry

ps -- I'll be more than happy to chop ALL ingredients and do the dishes after!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

So with Anemone and the Guardian as my guide, I went with onions but no bread, no oil, and used sherry vinegar instead of balsamic. I've slurped a few spoons and it is very good to my humble palette, but I think gazpacho is one of the few things in the world that needs to be eaten very very chilled, so it's now in the refrig.

I was feeling lazy and decided to try the immersion blender instead of the food processor, so I just dumped all the ingredients in the pot and started to blend. No chunks left but a slightly thicker texture than if I had used the processor. It was a little tedious since the veggies were raw and there was very little independent liquid, but once the tomatoes started to fall apart it got a lot easier.

My friend has an overabundance of tomatoes in her garden this year so I will be tweaking this over the next month or so. Turns out it wasn't a good year for tomatoes in my area, so it's a perfect year for lots of gazpacho -- the taste of the tomatoes is fine, but the texture is a bit off the classic wonderful Illinois tomato.

Thanks everyone! Laurie

Laurie, are you on one of these trendy diets with no bread, no oil I think you really cannot go wrong as lomg as the basics are there. And that does include some sort of onion. I have been using echalotte francaise just because the size is perfect (small) even if quite pungent. You ised the hand heald blnder, I stuck the whole thing in the Vitamix. It's all good.

Just tasted what I made. It's fine, but too smooth (vitamix!), too much japlapeno, and too much basil. I still went for the ojo de buen cubero, but even well measured the ingredients are a bit strange.

Laurie, btw, did you know you can freeze tomatos in their natural state? Could use them later in the year.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

2 lbs. of tomatoes, peeled and seeded.
1 small cucumber, peeled
1 small onion, peeled (I use Vidalia)
3 bell or banana peppers, red or green, seeded
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 slice of bread, soaked in water, then squeezed dry
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup good-quality mild olive oil
2 cups very cold water

Grind and puree all the veg together in a food processor or blender, adding bread slowly after. Once liquified, slowly pour in the olive oil with the motor going until the color changes. Pour into a glass pitcher, stir in the water, and chill very well for several hours (it's better the next day). Do not attempt this with winter tomatoes.
Serves many.



AJO BLANCO de ALMENDRAS

1/2 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup pine nuts (pinones)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
4 handfuls of seedless grapes OR
4 1-inch cubes of honeydew melon
3 slices of good white bread, soaked in water and then squeezed-out
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 cups ice water.

Grind together the almonds, pine nuts, and alst to a powder. Add and puree the grapes or melon, then add the bread goo, piece by piece. Drizzle in the oil and vinegars, then gradually add the water. Adjust the salt/vinegar balance.

Chill very well. Taste again before stirring very well and putting into individual bowls or cups. Garnish with melon or grapes.
Serves 6.

(I got this recipe in 1995 at the Parador in Merida, where I first tasted this very luxurious soup. This week I tried the Parador version again, this time at Almagro -- Alas! They've bumped up the almond taste with extract or some other flavoring agent, and thinned out the toothsome ground-almond texture.)
Enjoy.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

@Rebekah Scott , clearly not on the same low fat diet as I sometimes claim to be. A full cup of oil! Has to be yummy! And I must mA
ake the second recipe! Bookmarked it is!

 

[peregrina2000]

Laurie, are you on one of these trendy diets with no bread, no oil I think you really cannot go wrong as lomg as the basics are there. And that does include some sort of onion. I have been using echalotte francaise just because the size is perfect (small) even if quite pungent. You ised the hand heald blnder, I stuck the whole thing in the Vitamix. It's all good.

Just tasted what I made. It's fine, but too smooth (vitamix!), too much japlapeno, and too much basil. I still went for the ojo de buen cubero, but even well measured the ingredients are a bit strange.

Laurie, btw, did you know you can freeze tomatos in their natural state? Could use them later in the year.

No, I'm not on any diet of any kind -- my camino this year, for the first time ever, took about 5 k off my body and I don't seem to be gaining it back. (I know I have just jinxed myself). I didn't use bread because I don't have any white bread in the house, and since I just made a huge batch of pesto with basil from the same friend's garden, I thought I had put enough olive oil in my food for the day.

I agree with you that the best thing about gazpacho is how the amounts are all approximations, the extras can vary depending on what you have in the kitchen, and when it's cold it's the most refreshing food on the planet. Anemone, did you every try any of the stuff they sell in the box in the refrigerator section of many stores in Spain? We were really quite pleasantly surprised, but maybe it just goes to show that it's very hard to mess up a gazpacho.

Laurie

p.s. Just put whole tomatoes in the freezer? Wow, I never did that, but I suppose if you can freeze gazpacho, you could just freeze its main ingredient and make it later. It would probably taste fresher!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

No, I'm not on any diet of any kind -- my camino this year, for the first time ever, took about 5 k off my body and I don't seem to be gaining it back. (I know I have just jinxed myself). I didn't use bread because I don't have any white bread in the house, and since I just made a huge batch of pesto with basil from the same friend's garden, I thought I had put enough olive oil in my food for the day.

I agree with you that the best thing about gazpacho is how the amounts are all approximations, the extras can vary depending on what you have in the kitchen, and when it's cold it's the most refreshing food on the planet. Anemone, did you every try any of the stuff they sell in the box in the refrigerator section of many stores in Spain? We were really quite pleasantly surprised, but maybe it just goes to show that it's very hard to mess up a gazpacho.

Laurie

p.s. Just put whole tomatoes in the freezer? Wow, I never did that, but I suppose if you can freeze gazpacho, you could just freeze its main ingredient and make it later. It would probably taste fresher!

Sorry to say I did not tru thr stuff ina box, but will be sure to do so next spring. We all complain about the lack of veggies while en route, so great idea. And yes, just put the tomatos in large ziplocks and in the freezer. As far of the bread is concerned, I know that for sopa de ajo you are supposed tombiy it, let it get old and hard, but for gazpacho I jist use the non spictpy stuff from the grocery store (I am not a bread person in general and would have to buy a baguette, let it age, and then waste half of it. But I think my mom used to make croutons to serve with diced b'veggies to go with the mixed gazpacho).

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have the ultimate gazpacho recipe, as well as the world's most awesome Ajo Blanco recipe. But if you want to try them, and copy them out, you have to come here, in late summer, and taste them for yourself.
We are living on the stuff just now. It is heavenly.

You do know that it is ungodly cruelty to deprive the wretched of your gazpacho recipe.

 

[Bala]

Awesome recipes, everyone! I'm not sure which one to try first, but I must say, those almonds instead of bread crumbs sound very enticing. And sherry vinegar! I had about a pound of tomatoes on the counter from my nephew's garden when I first saw this thread last night. Today we received a couple pounds more from my husband's aunt -- so it's Gazpacho time in our house.

My recipe is from James Michener's 1964 book, "Iberia". He got it from the owner of a small restaurant in Sevilla called El Meson. It seems that 50 years ago Gazpacho needed some explaining: "An ice-cold soup that can be compared to nothing. If you ever travel to Spain and come upon a restaurant that serves Gazpacho, take it, because no other dish in the country will you remember with such affection ... For gazpacho is Spain."

Well, times change. These days it's had to come upon a restaurant, anywhere. that doesn't serve some form of "gazpacho" on these hot, muggy summer afternoons. Today, though, it's just as often something like "Watermelon" or "Strawberry" "gazpacho". Very refreshing, it not exactly authentic. So here's a recipe from over 50 years ago, basically the same as many above, but still with its own individuality. The notation for the
Spaniards is Michener's, not mine.

Gazpacho

Take 2 stale rolls and reduce them to crumbs. Soak in water until they form a thick paste and set aside.

Into a blender, put 2 lbs tomatoes, 1 large pared cucumber, 2 large green peppers, 1/4 cup pimentos, and 2 small sweet onions. Season with pinches of salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 4 Tablespoons vinegar (if you are Spanish, 1 cup olive oil and 1 Tablespoon vinegar).

Reduce all ingredients except bread to a liquid.

Mix in bread by hand and put result in covered wooden bowl. Place in refrigerator for 6 hours.

Serve ice cold with a tray of separate dishes of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, small cubes of bread.


Our of curiosity, I just tried to find El Meson online. No results from Spain, but apparently there is an El Meson Sevilla in Manhattan.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Very refreshing, it not exactly authentic.

Virtually all the recent cookbooks on gazpacho have a wide variety of vegetable and fruit cold soups.

 

[jayree]

My recipe is from James Michener's 1964 book, "Iberia". He got it from the owner of a small restaurant in Sevilla called El Meson.

This recipe is very similar to one published in Fine Cooking entitled "Andalusian Gazpacho."

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/andalusian-gazpacho.aspx

 

[peregrina2000]

2 lbs. of tomatoes, peeled and seeded.
1 small cucumber, peeled
1 small onion, peeled (I use Vidalia)
3 bell or banana peppers, red or green, seeded
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 slice of bread, soaked in water, then squeezed dry
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup good-quality mild olive oil
2 cups very cold water

Grind and puree all the veg together in a food processor or blender, adding bread slowly after. Once liquified, slowly pour in the olive oil with the motor going until the color changes. Pour into a glass pitcher, stir in the water, and chill very well for several hours (it's better the next day). Do not attempt this with winter tomatoes.
Serves many.



AJO BLANCO de ALMENDRAS

1/2 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup pine nuts (pinones)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
4 handfuls of seedless grapes OR
4 1-inch cubes of honeydew melon
3 slices of good white bread, soaked in water and then squeezed-out
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 cups ice water.

Grind together the almonds, pine nuts, and alst to a powder. Add and puree the grapes or melon, then add the bread goo, piece by piece. Drizzle in the oil and vinegars, then gradually add the water. Adjust the salt/vinegar balance.

Chill very well. Taste again before stirring very well and putting into individual bowls or cups. Garnish with melon or grapes.
Serves 6.

(I got this recipe in 1995 at the Parador in Merida, where I first tasted this very luxurious soup. This week I tried the Parador version again, this time at Almagro -- Alas! They've bumped up the almond taste with extract or some other flavoring agent, and thinned out the toothsome ground-almond texture.)
Enjoy.

Wow, thanks, Reb -- you slipped this in without my seeing it! I will definitely go for the ajo blanco recipe. That sounds really terrific. Your gazpacho recipe has more water than others I've seen and the pepper ratio seems to be a bit higher. So many variations, I guess we each have to find our own perfect combination of ingredients.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Awesome recipes, everyone! I'm not sure which one to try first, but I must say, those almonds instead of bread crumbs sound very enticing. And sherry vinegar! I had about a pound of tomatoes on the counter from my nephew's garden when I first saw this thread last night. Today we received a couple pounds more from my husband's aunt -- so it's Gazpacho time in our house.

My recipe is from James Michener's 1964 book, "Iberia". He got it from the owner of a small restaurant in Sevilla called El Meson. It seems that 50 years ago Gazpacho needed some explaining: "An ice-cold soup that can be compared to nothing. If you ever travel to Spain and come upon a restaurant that serves Gazpacho, take it, because no other dish in the country will you remember with such affection ... For gazpacho is Spain."

Well, times change. These days it's had to come upon a restaurant, anywhere. that doesn't serve some form of "gazpacho" on these hot, muggy summer afternoons. Today, though, it's just as often something like "Watermelon" or "Strawberry" "gazpacho". Very refreshing, it not exactly authentic. So here's a recipe from over 50 years ago, basically the same as many above, but still with its own individuality. The notation for the
Spaniards is Michener's, not mine.

Gazpacho

Take 2 stale rolls and reduce them to crumbs. Soak in water until they form a thick paste and set aside.

Into a blender, put 2 lbs tomatoes, 1 large pared cucumber, 2 large green peppers, 1/4 cup pimentos, and 2 small sweet onions. Season with pinches of salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 4 Tablespoons vinegar (if you are Spanish, 1 cup olive oil and 1 Tablespoon vinegar).

Reduce all ingredients except bread to a liquid.

Mix in bread by hand and put result in covered wooden bowl. Place in refrigerator for 6 hours.

Serve ice cold with a tray of separate dishes of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, small cubes of bread.


Our of curiosity, I just tried to find El Meson online. No results from Spain, but apparently there is an El Meson Sevilla in Manhattan.

No garlic?

 

[Bala]

No garlic?

Can you believe it? When I made it tonight I threw in 7 or 8 big, fat, fresh cloves. Probably nobody but me will be able to eat it. And nobody will come anywhere close to me after I do!

 

[Bala]

This recipe is very similar to one published in Fine Cooking entitled "Andalusian Gazpacho."

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/andalusian-gazpacho.aspx

So many of them very similar. It's those little touches that make them each so distinctive. I threw in a whole bunch of garlic and about a quarter cup of sherry tonight. Can't wait till it's good and chilled. Preliminary tastings bode well.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Can you believe it? When I made it tonight I threw in 7 or 8 big, fat, fresh cloves. Probably nobody but me will be able to eat it. And nobody will come anywhere close to me after I do!

Keeping the witches away are we?

 

[Bala]

heheheh .... I think it keeps vampires away, too

 

[Bala]

Wow, thanks, Reb -- you slipped this in without my seeing it! I will definitely go for the ajo blanco recipe. That sounds really terrific. Your gazpacho recipe has more water than others I've seen and the pepper ratio seems to be a bit higher. So many variations, I guess we each have to find our own perfect combination of ingredients.

These both look great!

 

[domigee]

@Rebekah Scott
Many thanks for the recipes, will try the ajo blanco the minute I'm back in Spain as I've never made it. Woohoo!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Just an FYI, Ajo Blanco is not often seen on the camino frances; it is very regional, a product of Andalucia and Extremadura, I believe -- just about anything with almonds has Moorish roots. You will be hard-pressed to find any kind of gazpacho outside the summer months, unless it's the processed, packaged stuff.
Which is not half-bad, really. It's super food for long trips-- it's in a carton, so you can safely eat it without stopping the car or bus or train.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

This is a lively thread, and I really enjoyed it!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Made a new batch of gazpacho this weekend, this time trying what was suggested here: replacing bread crumbs with almonds. I find the whole thing more bland, but perhaps I should have tasted it before adding the almonds to see if they are the culprits. Also, with the huge calorie count of almonds I cannot justify the switch. Now, Paleo eaters or Celiac many very well think this is a great option to still get texture but no gluten.

Looking foward to fall to whip up some sopa de ajo. Shall we open a new thread to share those recipes? Or better yet, anyone have a good fabada recipe? Could swap it for one of torrejas!

 

[peregrina2000]

Made a new batch of gazpacho this weekend, this time trying what was suggested here: replacing bread crumbs with almonds. I find the whole thing more bland, but perhaps I should have tasted it before adding the almonds to see if they are the culprits. Also, with the huge calorie count of almonds I cannot justify the switch. Now, Paleo eaters or Celiac many very well think this is a great option to still get texture but no gluten.

Looking foward to fall to whip up some sopa de ajo. Shall we open a new thread to share those recipes? Or better yet, anyone have a good fabada recipe? Could swap it for one of torrejas!

Anemone, I loved the gazpacho recipe I pulled together with bits and pieces from everyone's posts. I put in neither almonds nor bread crumbs nor oil, but maybe I will add a little oil next time just because I love olive oil.

I also used the immersion blender instead of the cuisinart just because it was easier, and it makes for a less smooth gazpacho but just as delicious.

I'd be happy to see threads for as many recipes as you care to share! I do not have a super fabada recipe, but my idea of a good fabada is probably pretty sanitized anyway. I've made something I found online, can't remember where. I am not a fan of morcilla and will delete it from any recipe I make, not that I could get it here anyway. For anyone looking for fabada beans, though, I have used the beans from the finca of Lourenza (sold in Santiago) as a substitute and they are a little bit cheaper (12 euros a kilo) and just as good IMO. (they are very big and white and creamy, just like the fabada beans). Buen camino, Laurie

 

[William Marques]

Our next door neighbour in Andalucia used to add ice cubes instead of the cold water before blending for a quick gazpacho, but then it does get hot in the South. I have also found it is the type and number of peppers that changes the bite of the recipe the most. And yes, Sherry vinegar.