The simple chilled soup is perfect for steamy August days. Gazpacho is so easy that children old enough to manage a food processor or a blender can make it themselves. But whether or not you have pint-size sous chefs at your disposal, a recipe that requires minimal effort and in most instances no heat is always a good thing this time of year. So, here is that ubiquitous summer standby done a few ways that you’re probably familiar with and a bunch more that you’re probably not. (If Thai melon gazpacho is already in your rotation, good for you, and I surrender.) The “recipes” here amount to little more than lists of ingredients and quantities, because the method doesn’t bear repeating 12 times: Combine everything in a blender or food processor, process to your desired texture, chill in the refrigerator if you like, garnish and eat. You do need to decide a few things, and texture is one; for a completely smooth soup, turn on the machine and let it run. If you prefer some chunks, pulse the machine — this works best with a food processor — or if you’re a stickler for precision, purée about half of the ingredients, chop the rest by hand and stir them together. I’ve noted the cases in which I think smooth or chunky is preferable (kale and olive gazpacho is a train wreck if it isn’t smooth), but do as you like. Olive oil is an integral part of “real” gazpacho (the fat has to come from somewhere), so I tend to gravitate toward the upper limit, but none of these soups will suffer tremendously if you use less. Most of these include bread, which should be day-old and crustless, though defying either or both of those “rules” won’t kill you. Keep in mind that the colder you serve your gazpacho, the less salty it will taste; you can intentionally oversalt before chilling, but I would just salt to taste at the last minute. It makes things even simpler. GREEN Photo AVOCADO AND PEA 2 avocados; 2 cups cooked fresh or frozen peas; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 2½ cups water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnishes: Chopped mint and freshly grated Parmesan. Photo CUCUMBER, GRAPE AND HAZELNUT 2 medium cucumbers; 1 pound green grapes; 1 thick bread slice; ⅓ cup hazelnuts; 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 small shallot; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil. Photo KALE AND OLIVE Sauté 2 bunches chopped kale in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft; let cool. Combine with 2 cucumbers; ¼ cup green olives; 2 slices bread; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; 2 cups water; a pinch of red-chile flakes; pepper. Serve smooth. Garnish: Grated Parmesan. Photo THAI MELON 2 pounds honeydew; 1 medium cucumber; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 small shallot; 1 cup water; pepper.Garnishes: Chopped Thai basil, cilantro and mint. Photo TOMATILLO, AVOCADO AND ORANGE Grill or broil 1½ pound tomatillos until lightly charred all over. Chop and combine with 2 avocados; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ¼ cup orange juice; 1½cups water; salt and pepper. Garnishes: Corn kernels (stripped fresh off the cob or thawed frozen) and a pinch of cayenne. Photo ZUCCHINI AND HERB Sauté 2½ pounds chopped zucchini in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes; let cool. Combine with 1 thick bread slice; ¼ cup each basil, parsley and mint; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnish: Toasted pine nuts. RED Photo CLASSIC GAZPACHO 2 pounds tomatoes; 1 medium cucumber; ½yellow bell pepper; 2 thick bread slices; ¼cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil. Photo TOMATO, SESAME AND SOY 2 pounds tomatoes; 1 medium cucumber; ¼cup cilantro; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 cup water; pepper. Garnishes: Chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Photo TOMATO, STRAWBERRY AND BASIL 1 pound tomatoes; 1 pound strawberries; 1 cucumber; 2 bread slices; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnishes: Chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan. Photo ROMESCO-STYLE 1½ pounds tomatoes; ½ pound roasted red peppers; 1 thick bread slice; ⅓ cup roasted almonds, preferably Marcona; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnishes: Chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Photo GRILLED GAZPACHO Rub the following with oil, and grill or broil until lightly charred: 1½ pounds tomatoes and 1 red onion, sliced into thick rounds; 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise; 2 bread slices. Let cool. Combine with 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; a pinch of red-chile flakes; 1 cup water. Serve chunky. Garnishes: Chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Photo TOMATO, RADISH AND TORTILLA 1½ pounds tomatoes; ½ pound radishes; 1 medium cucumber; 3 corn tortillas (toasted or fried until crisp); ¼ cup neutral oil; 2 tablespoons lime juice; a dash of hot sauce; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve chunky. Garnishes: Chopped white onion, cilantro leaves and queso fresco. Photographs by Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Suzanne Lenzer. Mark Bittman welcomes your thoughts (and recipes). You can follow him on Twitter: @bittman. The simple chilled soup is perfect for steamy August days. Gazpacho is so easy that children old enough to manage a food processor or a blender can make it themselves. But whether or not you have pint-size sous chefs at your disposal, a recipe that requires minimal effort and in most instances no heat is always a good thing this time of year. So, here is that ubiquitous summer standby done a few ways that you’re probably familiar with and a bunch more that you’re probably not. (If Thai melon gazpacho is already in your rotation, good for you, and I surrender.) The “recipes” here amount to little more than lists of ingredients and quantities, because the method doesn’t bear repeating 12 times: Combine everything in a blender or food processor, process to your desired texture, chill in the refrigerator if you like, garnish and eat. You do need to decide a few things, and texture is one; for a completely smooth soup, turn on the machine and let it run. If you prefer some chunks, pulse the machine — this works best with a food processor — or if you’re a stickler for precision, purée about half of the ingredients, chop the rest by hand and stir them together. I’ve noted the cases in which I think smooth or chunky is preferable (kale and olive gazpacho is a train wreck if it isn’t smooth), but do as you like. Olive oil is an integral part of “real” gazpacho (the fat has to come from somewhere), so I tend to gravitate toward the upper limit, but none of these soups will suffer tremendously if you use less. Most of these include bread, which should be day-old and crustless, though defying either or both of those “rules” won’t kill you. Keep in mind that the colder you serve your gazpacho, the less salty it will taste; you can intentionally oversalt before chilling, but I would just salt to taste at the last minute. It makes things even simpler. GREEN Photo AVOCADO AND PEA 2 avocados; 2 cups cooked fresh or frozen peas; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 2½ cups water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnishes: Chopped mint and freshly grated Parmesan. Photo CUCUMBER, GRAPE AND HAZELNUT 2 medium cucumbers; 1 pound green grapes; 1 thick bread slice; ⅓ cup hazelnuts; 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 small shallot; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil. Photo KALE AND OLIVE Sauté 2 bunches chopped kale in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft; let cool. Combine with 2 cucumbers; ¼ cup green olives; 2 slices bread; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; 2 cups water; a pinch of red-chile flakes; pepper. Serve smooth. Garnish: Grated Parmesan. Photo THAI MELON 2 pounds honeydew; 1 medium cucumber; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 small shallot; 1 cup water; pepper.Garnishes: Chopped Thai basil, cilantro and mint. Photo TOMATILLO, AVOCADO AND ORANGE Grill or broil 1½ pound tomatillos until lightly charred all over. Chop and combine with 2 avocados; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ¼ cup orange juice; 1½cups water; salt and pepper. Garnishes: Corn kernels (stripped fresh off the cob or thawed frozen) and a pinch of cayenne. Photo ZUCCHINI AND HERB Sauté 2½ pounds chopped zucchini in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes; let cool. Combine with 1 thick bread slice; ¼ cup each basil, parsley and mint; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnish: Toasted pine nuts. RED Photo CLASSIC GAZPACHO 2 pounds tomatoes; 1 medium cucumber; ½yellow bell pepper; 2 thick bread slices; ¼cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil. Photo TOMATO, SESAME AND SOY 2 pounds tomatoes; 1 medium cucumber; ¼cup cilantro; 2 thick bread slices; 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 cup water; pepper. Garnishes: Chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Photo TOMATO, STRAWBERRY AND BASIL 1 pound tomatoes; 1 pound strawberries; 1 cucumber; 2 bread slices; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Garnishes: Chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan. Photo ROMESCO-STYLE 1½ pounds tomatoes; ½ pound roasted red peppers; 1 thick bread slice; ⅓ cup roasted almonds, preferably Marcona; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve smooth. Garnishes: Chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Photo GRILLED GAZPACHO Rub the following with oil, and grill or broil until lightly charred: 1½ pounds tomatoes and 1 red onion, sliced into thick rounds; 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise; 2 bread slices. Let cool. Combine with 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; a pinch of red-chile flakes; 1 cup water. Serve chunky. Garnishes: Chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Photo TOMATO, RADISH AND TORTILLA 1½ pounds tomatoes; ½ pound radishes; 1 medium cucumber; 3 corn tortillas (toasted or fried until crisp); ¼ cup neutral oil; 2 tablespoons lime juice; a dash of hot sauce; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup water; salt and pepper. Serve chunky. Garnishes: Chopped white onion, cilantro leaves and queso fresco. Photographs by Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Suzanne Lenzer. Mark Bittman welcomes your thoughts (and recipes). You can follow him on Twitter: @bittman.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 23:01:29 +0000
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