GOOD COOKIN' 7
Posted by mountaintopquilting on Saturday, August 28th, 2010
After the first taste I knew I had died and gone to heaven! The menu:
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* a hefty serving of GAZPACHO (freshly made chilled overnight to heighten the melding of flavors) garnished with avocado and sour cream
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* grilled prawns seasoned with lemon pepper
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* Tuscan Artisan bread "painted" with EVOO and toasted in the grill pan
.... ahhh .... sigh ... how refreshing and all my veggie servings for the day in one bowl ...
Gazpacho is one of those dishes I've always heard of but being a regular meat and potatoes kinda gal a cold vegetable soup held little appeal. Finally, 1 day in Oregon during a rare heat wave I decided it was time to try this strange sounding dish. Simple prep, easily obtained ingredients ... and ... something different and exotic for the gals who come to quilt every Tuesday! I've been hooked ever since always looking forward to the "dog days of Summer" to be enlivened once again with this rejuvenating soup.
I've since experimented with several variations on the various recipes you can find in cookbooks and online but the basic recipe always includes the same ingredients chopped and blended to a smooth puree. I like to save some of the chopped veggies to added to the puree when serving to add just a little more texture. My favorite recipe:
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4-6 tomatoes (fresh vine ripened if available or canned diced)
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1 large cucumber (peeled, seeded and chopped)
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peppers (I like to use 1/2 each - red, green and yellow)
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carrot (usually 1 or 2 depending on how full the blender or processor is getting)
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garlic (to taste ... I love garlic ... 2-3 cloves minced)
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onion (1 large sweet onion)
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olive oil (3 tablespoons)
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lemon juice (fresh squeezed from one lemon)
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seasoning (salt & pepper to taste plus basil and oregano)
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Garnish: fresh avocado slices, dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, and snips of fresh herbs ... basil ribbons and oregano leaves)
Want to add a little kick to the mix? Add some hot spices like chili powder or paprika or even a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce. Sometimes I will add some spicy vegetable juice drink for a little more kick.
All vegetables should be coarsely chopped and processes to a puree in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients. Chill the mix at least 1 hour in a non-metal bowl before serving.
GAZPACHO: ANDULASIAN LIQUID SALAD
... try it and let me know what you think ...
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Comments
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Looks Yummy Kay! I'll have to try this later. At the moment, I've my hands full with my grandson Jamie. Pray for us.by Vaughnde Edwards on 28 August 2010 at 10:51 a.m.
