Gazpacho is a very common Spanish soup. It is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and often cucumbers, and always served cold. It can be served with a variety of toppings, such as croutons, chopped cucumbers, jamón, or chopped hard boiled eggs. The flavor is similar to a pico de gallo salsa—very fresh, and extremely refreshing, especially on a hot day in Spain. In fact, most families in this region keep a container of gazpacho in the fridge, making a fresh batch every few days throughout the summer.
Another version found closer to Cordoba is salmorejo. This uses similar ingredients, but is much thicker because it uses more dried bread. Salmorejo is consumed either as a soup or a sauce for other dishes. A local dish using similar ingredients is arranque. This is a Rota specialty, a thick tomato sauce served with bread at many local restaurants. Arranque is made from fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded, mixed with stale bread, garlic, oil, green peppers, and salt. It is served fresh and cold, and is a very healthy and refreshing dish!
GAZPACHO RECIPE:
3 Pounds Fresh Tomatoes, Peeled and Seeded
1 Seeded Green Pepper
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Pieces of Toast
4 Tbls. Olive Oil
4 Tbls. Sherry Vinegar
2/3 Cup Tomato Juice
1 ¼ Cups Cold Water
Toss all ingredients into the blender. Because
it's a cold soup, you don't have to cook it! You just put it in the fridge for
a few hours or overnight and let the flavors mix. Best served within 1 day.
I totally want to make this for you guys when you're up here in August. I am in favor of including fresh cucumbers in it (and skipping the blender, though that's very un-Spanish). And yes, you'll find it everywhere in Spain in August, and each place will have its own version/recipe. Teresa, the Spanish volunteer, makes it for us all the time in Addis. (Both gazpacho and French onion soup are vegan, so we can have them during fasting time. :))
ReplyDelete