I never get tired of locally grown tomatoes, and I’m not talking about the kind you buy at the supermarket that have very little taste. The ones I’ve been getting make your taste buds get up and do a little dance when they hit your tongue. I’ve been buying them by the bagful for the last month, and although I’ve eaten my weight in sliced tomatoes with cucumbers and salt, I truly needed another use for them.
Enter gazpacho. This soup, sometimes referred to as “liquid salad,” originated in the Andalusia region of Spain. Widely eaten in Spain and Portugal, especially during the summer months, gazpacho typically consists of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, garlic, moistened bread, olive oil, and vinegar.
During the Middle Ages, Spain was part of the Arab world. Gazpacho’s roots trace back to this period, with a soup called Ajo Blanco, made from garlic, almonds, bread, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Tomatoes only came to Spain after the discovery of the New World, by way of Cortez or Columbus. It’s unclear which explorer introduced them to the Spanish culture. It was only after that time that tomatoes became a common ingredient in the soup as we know it today.
Variations of gazpacho abound these days. Some are made in the traditional way, but others incorporate different vegetables or even fruit. I recently tried a watermelon gazpacho at one of my favorite Atlanta restaurants.
I prefer gazpacho to be slightly thick with some texture, and the recipe for today’s post results in a chunky version. If you prefer a thinner or smoother texture, you can certainly add more tomato juice to thin the soup, or you can puree all the vegetables for a smoother texture. Neither is right or wrong and simply a matter of preference.
Typically gazpacho would serve as an appetizer to a meal. In this recipe, I garnished this soup with croutons and poached shrimp, making this soup a complete meal. Sometimes a light summer meal like this soup is just the ticket for a hot summer night.
Use your best summer tomatoes and give this recipe a try.
Ingredients
4 cups tomato juice, separated
1 cup cubed baguette (1/2 inch cubes)
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into quarters
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored and cut into quarters
1 medium Vidalia onion, cut into quarters
1 hothouse cucumber, cut in half
5 medium tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, plus additional for garnish
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups cubed baguette (1/2 inch cubes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp
3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, pour 1 cup tomato juice over bread cubes. Mix well and let soak for 15 minutes.
2. Place 1/2 of red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, 1 quarter onion, and 1/2 cucumber in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until vegetables are processed to a medium small dice. Transfer to a large bowl. Transfer two of the tomatoes to the food processor and pulse until diced. Add tomatoes to other vegetables.
3. Transfer soaked bread, remaining bell peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, 3 cups tomato juice, and parsley to food processor and process until completely pureed. Add mixture to other vegetables.
4. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and toss to coat in butter. Let bread begin to brown in butter, tossing regularly. When bread is browned on all sides, add salt and remove from skillet.
1. Peel and de-vein shrimp.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add Old Bay Seasoning. Add shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp is pink and opaque. Drain and place shrimp over ice to stop cooking.
Ladle gazpacho into bowls. Garnish with croutons, 3 to 4 shrimp per bowl, and fresh parsley leaves. Serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/07/25/gazpacho/You may also like:
- Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Soup - November 8, 2015
- Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili{+ a Cookbook Giveaway} - October 27, 2015
- Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage - October 16, 2015
Your gazpacho looks quite awesome Bill! Love the topping of the croutons and shrimp. Have never tried that and you make it look like a natural thing to do. Definitely will be remembering this one!
Gazpacho is without doubt my favorite summer soup! What a great way to celebrate local tomatoes (I’m lucky in that I can get them from my back yard!). I’ve never garnished it with shrimp before, but I will. Great idea! Thanks.
My favorite version of gazpacho was featured in the movie Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and featured barbiturates! Not that I’m suggesting that it’s a good idea… GREG