YOU’RE HOT THEN YOU’RE COLD
With school starting up again soon, we’re desperately holding onto the summer with every part of our being. From days at the beach, to back-to-back play dates that stretch after dinner we’re maximizing every minute. I don’t vary my menu much from season-to-season but if I don’t have at least one big pot of Gazpacho to help me sweat to cool off in the summer, it’s as though summer was never here at all.
Gazpacho comes from Spain – I sell it to my son as salsa soup, although it’s crisper and heartier than that. American’s don’t do a lot of cold soups that I’m aware of, but when you’re glistening in the summer sun, this brings relief.
There are many varieties, but this recipe is our sentimental favorite. With any great recipe passed down, I improvise and adjust things to my liking. I’ll give you the basics, but in the photo captions, I’ll tell you where I experiment.
Serrano chile: my addiction, my family doesn’t go there*
Ingredients:
46 ounces of V8
1 green bell pepper
1 small white onion
1 small red onion
1 cucumber
2 green chiles chopped
1 clove of garlic chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco or 1tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 small jar pimentos
Also, you need olive oil, red vinegar and black ground pepper.
I personally pre-cube the veggies to approximately golf ball size. Then load the blender with equal parts of all veggies, a splash of V8, some pimentos, and Pulse Blend until like a really smooth salsa. Pour into large pot and repeat. Repeat until all ingredients are blended.
To the large pot I add 1T olive oil, 3T Red Vinegar, 1 ½ tsp Tabasco (original), pepper to taste (I like lots). I don’t use salt – V8 already has it.
Stir it then stick it in the fridge. So hard to wait, but this soup tastes better chilled and after it sits to let the flavors blend!
I grew up topping it with crusty bread or croutons, but now, I add artificial crab (real even better) and chopped avocado instead! If I’m feeling spicy, I splash on Sriracha!
Share your favorite gazpacho recipes or adaptations of this recipe in comments so I may try them!
¡Salud!
*Be careful when de-seeding and chopping these to not touch your eyes! Even later in the day, the oils stay on the skin – trust me!
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