There's nothing like a refreshing cold soup on a hot summer day and gazpacho brings together some of the garden's best flavors and livens them up even more with a trio of olive oil, garlic and vinegar.
Centuries ago gazpacho was essentially a peasant dish, with stale bread blended into the pot to make it stretch further. This soup has surely come a long way, though, with chefs today turning gazpacho into a trendy dish served in glass shooters, with artisan breads or with a variety of surprising ingredients (like in last week's watermelon gazpacho recipe) tossed in.
It's healthy, simple and relatively inexpensive to make, so no wonder the soup has caught on. It's even better after a day or two in the fridge, once individual flavors have a chance to open up to one another.
n n
Fresh fruit is another treat that's in abundance this time of year, with some of it even finding its way into cool summer soups. To help you pick the best produce possible, the folks at www.FruitAndVeggieGuru.com have put together these guidelines:
If you feel inclined to thump your watermelon, make sure to listen for a hollow sound. For a more effective freshness test, choose a melon that is heavy for its size and has a mild yellow underside.
A red blush on a peach doesn't always mean it is ripe. Peaches that give with soft pressure and have a strong aroma and no dark or mushy spots taste the best. Remember that peaches ripen most on the tree; for a little further ripening, place peaches in a brown paper bag on a counter for a day or two to soften.
Firm-textured, deep-red cherries stay tasty in the refrigerator for several days and in the freezer for up to one year. Avoid cherries that are too dark or too soft.
Cantaloupe should have a yellowish tinge to the rind and should yield to soft pressure, applied most effectively by your thumb. Melons with the stem still attached are immature and will not yield the best flavor.
The "eyes" of a pineapple tell you if it is ripe; make sure they are all roughly the same size. Unlike a lot of other popular fruits, pineapples will continue to ripen if stored at room temperature.
And finally, washing all of your fruit before slicing, dicing and digesting it is an important part of the dining experience. Remember: any bacteria and germs that might have collected on the skin of the fruit will enter it when you plunge the knife in.
Contact writer Steven Keith at dailymailfood ...@aol.com or (304) 348-1721.
Recipes
Avocado-Lager Beer Gazpacho
3 avocados, ripe
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup light lager beer
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1. Halve avocados and remove pits. Scoop out flesh with a spoon and place in food processor or blender. Add buttermilk, vegetable broth, lime juice, cilantro leaves, sugar, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Puree until smooth. Stir in beer.
2. Refrigerate soup until chilled, about 2 hours. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top with cherry tomatoes.
Serves 4
Source: National Beer Wholesalers Association.
Gonzalo's Andalusian Gazpacho
2 1/2 pounds very ripe and flavorful tomatoes, quartered
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 2-inch bread cube cut from French-style loaf, crusts removed
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, optional
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Place half of the tomatoes, the garlic, pepper, bread, vinegar, salt, cumin (if using) and sugar into a food processor and blend until no large pieces remain. With the motor running, add the remaining tomatoes and, when well processed, gradually add the oil. Beat until as smooth as possible.
There's nothing like a refreshing cold soup on a hot summer day and gazpacho brings together some of the garden's best flavors and livens them up even more with a trio of olive oil, garlic and vinegar.
To me, it's summer in a bowl.
Centuries ago gazpacho was essentially a peasant dish, with stale bread blended into the pot to make it stretch further. This soup has surely come a long way, though, with chefs today turning gazpacho into a trendy dish served in glass shooters, with artisan breads or with a variety of surprising ingredients (like in last week's watermelon gazpacho recipe) tossed in.
It's healthy, simple and relatively inexpensive to make, so no wonder the soup has caught on. It's even better after a day or two in the fridge, once individual flavors have a chance to open up to one another.
n n
Fresh fruit is another treat that's in abundance this time of year, with some of it even finding its way into cool summer soups. To help you pick the best produce possible, the folks at www.FruitAndVeggieGuru.com have put together these guidelines:
If you feel inclined to thump your watermelon, make sure to listen for a hollow sound. For a more effective freshness test, choose a melon that is heavy for its size and has a mild yellow underside.
A red blush on a peach doesn't always mean it is ripe. Peaches that give with soft pressure and have a strong aroma and no dark or mushy spots taste the best. Remember that peaches ripen most on the tree; for a little further ripening, place peaches in a brown paper bag on a counter for a day or two to soften.
Firm-textured, deep-red cherries stay tasty in the refrigerator for several days and in the freezer for up to one year. Avoid cherries that are too dark or too soft.
Cantaloupe should have a yellowish tinge to the rind and should yield to soft pressure, applied most effectively by your thumb. Melons with the stem still attached are immature and will not yield the best flavor.
The "eyes" of a pineapple tell you if it is ripe; make sure they are all roughly the same size. Unlike a lot of other popular fruits, pineapples will continue to ripen if stored at room temperature.
And finally, washing all of your fruit before slicing, dicing and digesting it is an important part of the dining experience. Remember: any bacteria and germs that might have collected on the skin of the fruit will enter it when you plunge the knife in.
Contact writer Steven Keith at dailymailfood ...@aol.com or (304) 348-1721.
Recipes
Avocado-Lager Beer Gazpacho
3 avocados, ripe
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup light lager beer
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1. Halve avocados and remove pits. Scoop out flesh with a spoon and place in food processor or blender. Add buttermilk, vegetable broth, lime juice, cilantro leaves, sugar, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Puree until smooth. Stir in beer.
2. Refrigerate soup until chilled, about 2 hours. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top with cherry tomatoes.
Serves 4
Source: National Beer Wholesalers Association.
Gonzalo's Andalusian Gazpacho
2 1/2 pounds very ripe and flavorful tomatoes, quartered
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 2-inch bread cube cut from French-style loaf, crusts removed
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, optional
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Place half of the tomatoes, the garlic, pepper, bread, vinegar, salt, cumin (if using) and sugar into a food processor and blend until no large pieces remain. With the motor running, add the remaining tomatoes and, when well processed, gradually add the oil. Beat until as smooth as possible.
2. Pass through a food mill or strainer, pressing with the back of a metal soup ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and chill for several hours or overnight. Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar, if necessary.
Serves 6
Source: "La Cocina de Mamá," by Penelope Casas.
Gazpacho Verde
1 European cucumber
1/2 white onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 bunch green onions
4 oz. green grapes
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 oz. jumbo lump crabmeat
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup toasted almonds
alt and pepper, to taste
1. Cut all of the vegetables into medium-sized pieces and place in blender with grapes, apple juice, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Start to blend on low speed and drizzle in the olive oil. Then blend on high until smooth. Taste and season, if necessary, then chill until very cold.
2. To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls and top with crab meat. Garnish with the almonds and drizzle some olive oil over the top.
3. For different variations, the chef recommends trying some of the following toppings: chopped cilantro, toasted croutons, chopped green or yellow bell pepper, diced hard-boiled eggs, sliced avocado, chopped cucumbers, minced red onion, chopped black or green olives.
Serves 6
Source: Chef Reinaldo Alfonso at Chez Philippe, The Peabody Hotel, Memphis.
Walnut-Cucumber Gazpacho
4 English cucumbers, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley
1/2 bunch mint
1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
1/2 small red onion, peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
6 oz. plain yogurt
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup ice
alt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Meyer lemon olive oil to drizzle on top, optional*
1. Salt the cucumbers and let sit one hour. Drain off liquid.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve in a chilled bowl, and garnish, if desired, with Meyer lemon olive oil.
Serves 8
Source: Chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart of zazu & bovolo restaurants in Sonoma, Calif.
*The Purple Onion at Capitol Market carries champagne vinegar. Kroger carries a variety of oil blends; but if Meyer lemon oil is not available, a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil certainly could substitute.
