This however, is one of the recipes that I can't take credit for. I used Alton Brown's (I love him!) recipe, which turned out to be perfect. The prep takes a little longer than I remembered from last time I made it, but the time put in is worth is. Gazpacho is basically just some pureed veggies with vinegar and olive oil...just like salsa. And like salsa, you can make it very chunky or puree it smooth. It just depends on what kind of texture you like.
Texture is what determines the long prep time. Tomatoes have tough skins that don't break down easily which makse it harder to achieve a smooth consistency. In salsa, the tomato skin doesn't matter as much, but if you want a pureed, smooth gazpacho (or even if you like it chunky), removing the skin is essential. Same goes with tomato seeds. These can be hard and unpleasant in soup. So, they have to go, too.
The best way to remove tomato skins is to quickly immerse them in boiling water, then quickly put then in ice water. This loosens the skin, but does not cook the tomato. This, in the culinary world, is called "concasse" (con-ca-say). It is a great word, and a great skill to have. It is not only useful in this recipe, but it is great for tomato sauces, canning tomatoes, etc. Removing the seeds takes little effort: just cut the tomato in half and use your thumb to remove the seeds.
I also wanted to share my experience with balsamic vinegar. That is one of the major flavorings in this recipe, and I was pleasantly surprised with the vinegar that I bought. I got it because it was cheaper than some of the organic versions, and I didn't go organic this time because I found the ones I tried to be quite sour. I haven't bought balsamic in over a year because I didn't like the brands that I was buying. That being said, I found a super delicious one this time! It supposedly is straight from Italy (though brands can be deceptive), and it is wonderfully sweet. I tasted it by itself and it was delicious. Perfect for raw preparations like salads or gazpacho. However I cooked with it, too, and it was deeply rich, sweet, and made my dish taste a little like sweet BBQ. If you can find this brand, I recommend it. But my whole point is that the vinegar (much like olive oil) that you buy will make all the difference in this dish. I'm not saying to go out and buy something super expensive (I spent 6 bucks), but just be choosy...and maybe try some different brands until you find something you like.
Gazapacho
From Alton Brown: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gazpacho-recipe/index.html
1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Tomato juice
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted, ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
My version:
*Makes exactly 1 quart (4 cups)
5 medium ripe tomatoes, concassed (directions below)
tomato juice
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped in med dice
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped med dice
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
3 small jalapenos, seeded and chopped *removing the seeds makes it less spicy
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
salt, to taste (I used about 1-2 tsp)
Additional toppings:
crushed tortilla chips
sour cream
chopped, fresh basil or cilantro
toasted or grilled bread rubbed with a garlic clove (what doesn't go well with this?)
1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Wash tomatoes and cut a shallow X in the bottom of each one. This will help the skin peel back. Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. When the water is at a full boil, add in tomatoes. Simmer tomatoes for about 15-30 seconds until their skins start to split and the X begins to peel back. Immediately take out tomatoes and add to ice water.
3. When tomatoes have chilled for a few seconds, take them out and peel off their skins.
Cut them in half. Set up a bowl and strainer to catch the seeds and juice. With your thumb, dig out the seeds from the tomatoes over the strainer to catch the tomato juices.
4. Let the seeds drain, then chop the tomatoes in a medium dice, put in a large bowl, and set aside.
5. Chop all the other veggies and add to chopped tomatoes.
 |
| Peel... |
 |
| cut in half... |
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| use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then chop! |
6. Add vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and a little salt (about 1 tsp) to veggies.
7. Add veggie mix to a food processor or blender. You might have to do a few batches. Make sure to divide the juices evenly in each batch so it blends well. Pulse until the veggies are small and chunky. You can leave it like this, which is nice. Or puree veggies until smooth. Add chunky or pureed soup back in the bowl, stir, taste, and season as necessary. Add more vinegar first, then add salt. This recipe shouldn't need much salt because the veggies are so flavorful themselves!
8. Eat immediately, or chill for 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors marry.
My soup was cold, sweet, and satisfying. Perfect for a hot day! I can highly recommend this recipe. The prep time is totally worth it. I ate it without any toppings, but I really wanted some crusty, toasted bread to go with it. I made some bacon beans with kale instead (see BONUS recipe for bacon beans soon!)
ENJOY!!!
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