Gazpacho Andaluz

This month, Maria Elena Malpezzi-Price, our Director of International Operations brings us a wonderful gazpacho recipe from Spain.

This recipe is from my host family from when I studied in Sevilla. I’m sure one could say much about the history of this dish, but today gazpacho is eaten in the summer and comes from Andalucia (in fact many times it is referred to as Gazpacho Andaluz). It is a cold soup/drink served either in a bowl or in a glass. When served in a bowl it usually has toppings – either onion and cucumber, or in northern Andalucia they put ham, hardboiled egg and some toasted bread – on it. It’s part of Southern Spain’s culinary tradition from way back when it was originally taken by the farmers into the fields in conical ceramic bowls that were then dug into the ground so the soup would stay cool as they worked.

The following serves 5 easily:

 

• 1 kilo of vine ripened tomatoes (that means about 12 if they are the size of the ones in the picture – medium size)

   

• 3 or 4 green peppers – the smaller sweeter “Italian” peppers as my host brother said. (2 green bell peppers work if you can’t find the Italian sweet peppers)

   

• About 80 grams (3 oz.) of hard bread without the crust, or in bread crumbs I think that is a cup maybe?? (put this in some water to soften as you cut up the vegetables)

   

• 2 or 3 garlic cloves

   

• 2 tbsp of salt (or to taste)

   

• 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar

   

• 1/3 of a cucumber

   

• 1/3 cup olive oil

   

Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters and the green peppers in half (cleaning out the seeds), then combine the garlic, cucumber, olive oil and vinegar and softened bread in the blender or food processor. Blend it all together – you can choose not to put the bread in which makes the gazpacho thinner, but the bread takes away some of the acidity from the tomatoes. If it still seems thick or you prefer it thinner with bread you can add cold water after you blend all the ingredients together.

Sometimes it doesn’t all fit in one batch so you may have to separate and then mix the two parts together. Either way if you prefer a very smooth gazpacho you can blend it a couple more times.

Toppings –

 

• Cut up some red onion, green bell peppers, cucumber and tomatoes

  Or…

   

• Hard boil 3 or 4 eggs and after cooling peel them and cut them into smaller pieces to add to the gazpacho (if you have some Jamon Serrano bits sitting around -even better!)

   

Best served after being chilled. If you make it and want to serve it immediately you can add ice, but the best option would be to make it and keep it in the refrigerator at least half a day before serving it (or the freezer for an hour or two).

Buen provecho!

Maria Elena