Gazpacho- So much more than just "cold soup"!

With temperatures now firmly fixed in the mid thirties, here in the Marina Alta, most of us find that a big meal, at the hottest part of the day, is the last thing you want, unless you have time for a very long siesta! The Mediterranean diet offers the perfect solution; One of the most popular recipes throughout Spain, during the summer months, is Gazpacho. The origins of this beloved dish, go way back to the Romans but the Andalucians claim it for their own. It is, in essence, a cold soup. However, Spanish chef´s would take this description as a personal insult. Once you acquire a taste for it, it is the one thing you crave when hunger hits and the temperature is sky high.

These days there are lots of regional variations, and it can be red, white or green, depending on the ingredients. Originally the recipe consisted of; bread, olive oil, water, vinegar, garlic and peas. No tomatoes and it was white rather than red. This recipe is referred to these days as “Ajoblanco”, which is a garlic soup. 

Gazpacho Andaluz can also be taken from a glass, as a drink with a stick of celery, refreshing and cooling.  "Salmorejo" is a thicker, pale orange colour and specifically comes from Cordoba. If you ever order “Gazpacho Manchego” you may be shocked to find it is a meat stew, using game animals like rabbit, hare, quail and pigeon, and not cold at all! 

We may be biased here, but we favour the Valencian Gazpacho. This recipe is very similar to the original Andalucian recipe but it is thicker and more intense. The main ingredient is the deep red, lushiously ripe tomatoes!

 Of course you can buy it ready made, in fact larger supermarkets usually have a chiller cabinet devoted to Gazpacho and Salmorejo. However, it is easy to make and all the better for the fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Also then, you can make it your own and add the things you like.

Gazpacho Valenciano.

Ingredients

1)1kg ripe, fleshy tomatoes- no watery varieties. Use vine or plum, must be ripe!

2)100g bread- stale, day old bread works best as it is more absorbent and gives the dish a creamier consistency.

3)1 clove of garlic- and make it a small one, you don´t want it to be overpowered by the taste of raw garlic.

4)1 green pepper- again a nice ripe one so that it is not bitter.

5)50ml extra virgin olive oil.

6)50ml white wine vinegar.

7)Salt.

8)Water, if and as necessary.

The method is simple, unless you want to stick to the original (ie. bashing it all together with a pestle and mortar!). After it is all washed and chopped into small pieces, use a blender or food processor to blend all the ingredients into a homogenous cream consistency. The important part is the chilling. Two hours minimum to allow the flavours to develop and for it to reach the perfect temperature. The only tweak may be a small spoonful of honey or sugar to counteract any bitterness from the tomatoes, but taste it first!

Serve your Gazpacho Valenciano with a drizzle of top quality, extra virgin olive oil.

You can bulk it up with finely chopped cucumber, red pepper, or onion and, if it is your main meal, some chopped hard boiled egg or some Serrano ham will give it a protein boost.

It will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days and you CAN freeze it, but eat as soon as it is defrosted or it loses it´s consistency.

Modern variations replace the tomatoes with; avocadoes, cucumbers, parsley, strawberries, watermelon, grapes and seafood.

If you are entertaining, a ladel-full of Gazpacho in a glass with a celery leaf on top, makes a refreshing appetizer or canapé. 

Gazpacho is the perfect summer dish. Light and refreshing, it offers all the hydration and nutrition you need to give you sustenance when the days are long and hot.