We had dinner the other night with some friends we met on the World ARC (they spent two years circumnavigating so they could “stop and smell the roses” of New Zealand and South Africa…the way to do it, in my book!) and a discussion came up about gazpacho. I asked them their secrets; it seemed like it was one of their specialties. They peel, seed, then roast their tomatoes. The whole process can take some time, but from what I understand, is totally worth it. I cut a lot of corners here in this recipe, hence, I now call mine Gazpacho Rápido!
Gazpacho Rápido
1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Tomato juice
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Red onion and fresh avocados or croutons for garnish
Trying to keep your cabin cool in the summer, this low-calorie, high nutrient cold soup requires no cooking. To make gazpacho it’s best to have some kind of food processor. If you’re on a boat your food processor might be like mine, a non-electric, hand-cranked processor.
Chop your tomatoes in about 2″ pieces. You can seed them if you like: many chefs do, but I’m keeping this simple and fast today so all the seeds go in as well. Process the tomato chunks so they become the consistency of diced-to-pureed tomatoes.
Place the pureed tomatoes into a large bowl and return to your processor. Put the next 4 ingredients in the processor and grind away like you’re taking your #1 to a close haul.
The vegetables should be finely minced. Stir that mixture in with the tomatoes.
Add all of the rest of the ingredients. and blend well.
Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with minced red onion, scallions, diced avocado or croutons.
This can last in your icebox for quite a few days while the flavors blend together more intensely each day. And I don’t see any reason why you can’t blend the whole shebang even further into a juice for a luscious Bloody Mary. The possibilities are endless!
Keep cool, pirates!
Gazpacho Rápido
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Fresh, vine-riped tomatoes
- 1 cup Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup Red onion, chopped
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 Garlic clove, pressed
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 24 oz Tomato Juice (or V8)
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 2 tsp White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Fresh cilantro, minced
- Chopped red onion and fresh avocados or croutons for garnish
Instructions
- Chop your tomatoes in about 2″ pieces. Process the tomato chunks so they become the consistency of diced-to pureed tomatoes. Place the pureed tomatoes into a large bowl and return to your processor.
- Put the next 4 ingredients in the processor and process until they are finely minced. Stir that mixture in with the tomatoes.
- Add all of the rest of the ingredients. and blend well.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with minced red onion, scallions, diced avocado or croutons.
