Gazpacho Soup
Cold, spicy gazpacho soup is the right ticket on hot summer days. It pays to make a day or two ahead to let the ingredients blend and chill in the reefer. Temperaturewise, today was almost perfect. High 70's crystal blue skies and dry. With a westcoast foggy morning to suck in with fans and cool the house (very Berkeleylike, though about 850 miles north).
I read this morning it is suppose to get hot again by the weekend. If true, might as well be prepared. Here is my version of gazpacho soup in nine easy pieces. First the ingredients. Then the assembly.
The Ingredients
The solids:
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cubed (or diced)
1/2 or more of one small red onion
1 medium-sized jalipeno chopped fine
1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
2 stalks of celery, sliced somewhat thin
1/3 cup of stuffed olives, sliced
The herbs:
a couple of sprigs of noregano* from the backyard
a leafy stem of tarragon also from the backyard
a few sprigs of cilantro - yep, from the backyard
The granulars:
1 tspn of Kosher salt
1/2 (heaping) tspn of raw sugar
1 clove of garlic or the equivalent garlic paste
The canned:
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes (save a few for chopping)
The liquids
3 tbsp of oil
1 tbsp of sherry wine vinegar
1 cup of tomato juice of Spicy V8. I use the latter.
The Assembly
Combine the solids and the herbs into a large, sealable jar. I stacked them in layers this time then added the chopped herbs on top. [photos 1-3]
Step 1. The diced goods...
Step 2. add backyard herbs...
Step 3. Chop the herbs and toss 'em in the jar.
Combine the canned, the liquids and the granulars into a bowl. Strain the tomatoes over the liquids. And let the juice from the can mix in. Save three or four of the tomatoes. Place the remaining tomatoes into the bowl. [photos 4-6]
Step 4. One large 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes (..or two 14 oz. cans of the same..)
Step 5. Mix the oil and vinegar. Add the sugar and salt here too.
Step 6. Strain the tomatoes adding the canned juice to the other liquids. Keep 3-4 of the tomatoes whole and put the rest into the bowl with the liquids. Add a cup of tomato juice to the bowl. Puree into a thick juice.
Chop up the rescued tomatoes and add to the solids in the jar. [photo 7]
Step 7. Chop up your saved tomatoes and add them to the top of the other diced goods and herbs.
Puree the mix in the bowl in a food processor until it is a thick juice. Five or ten seconds, tops. Make it five. Then more if it looks like it could use it. You be the judge. Pour over the solids in the jar. [photo 8]
Step 8. Pour the pureed mix over the chopped solids and leaves in the jar.
Take a tall wooden spoon and mix the liquids with the solids. [photo 9]
Step 9. Mix & chill....
Seal the jar and stick in the reefer overnight. Enjoy, with a squeeze of lime and slice or two of avocado if you're inclined. And a cold tuna or turkey sandwich. Maybe a cold, sliced nectarine as well.
* noregano - organic oregano through inattention, laziness, or the lack of care or feeding. Produced from an organic farming method of benign neglect.