Grill/Barbecue

Eleven Madison Park's Strawberry Gazpacho

by:
June 26, 2012
4.6
5 Ratings
Eleven Madison Park's Strawberry Gazpacho
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Unlike pie, with its revolving rainbow of seasonal flavors, gazpacho doesn't seem like a fill-in-the-blank situation. To most of us, it spells one thing: tomatoes, cold, smooth, and punchy. But in truth, anything can be a gazpacho. It's just not fair that we should have to wait till the tomatoes roll around -- that's where the strawberries come in. Recipe adapted very slightly from Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook. —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed but kept whole
  • 1 1/2 cups whole grain bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 6 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 2 1/4 cups English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 1/4 cups diced red bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 6 tablespoons tomato juice
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • Tabasco sauce
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed but kept whole
  • 2 cups diced (1/4 inch) whole grain bread, crusts removed
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
  1. To make the soup: Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add 1 clove of garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the bread cubes. Toss occasionally until the bread begins to color, being careful not to burn. Add the thyme and continue to toss until the bread is golden brown. Transfer the bread to a large bowl. Discard the garlic and thyme.
  2. Add the strawberries, cucumber, peppers, remaining garlic clove, remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, tomato juice, vinegar, and salt to the bowl. Toss to combine and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours. Puree the ingredients and their juices in small batches in a blender on high speed until very smooth. Strain through a chinois and chill in the refrigerator until very cold. Taste and season, if necessary, with Tabasco sauce and additional salt and red wine vinegar.
  3. To make the garlic-thyme croutons for garnish: Heat a small saute pan on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with the olive oil and add the garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the diced bread. Toss occasionally until the bread begins to color, being careful not to burn. Add the thyme and continue to toss until the bread is golden brown. Quickly transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Discard the garlic and thyme and season with the salt. Once cool and dry, you may store in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to 1 day.
  4. Serve chilled, garnished with garlic-thyme croutons. Tiny basil leaves and a swirl of olive oil make a nice additional garnish.
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  • Karen Werling
    Karen Werling
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    Monita
  • Monica Little
    Monica Little
  • jellygood
    jellygood
  • Kristen Miglore
    Kristen Miglore
Genius Recipes

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

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17 Reviews

Toni
Toni June 14, 2020
Wonderful starter to a light summer dinner. Served it to my most finicky guest and he asked for seconds. We had spicy red wine. Just the compliment. Is there anything 11 Madison does that isn't first class.
 
Karen W.
Karen W. August 2, 2016
Will this recipe save overnight if I make it a day in advance?
 
Becca
Becca June 17, 2015
I made this last night. If you like the ingredients then you will enjoy this. I would make it again on a nice hot summer day.
 
Monita
Monita August 1, 2013
I'm actually in the middle of making this. In the prior version of this recipe it said to add the croutons in with the other ingredients that sit for 3-4 hours. If you notice there's bread, oil, garlic and thyme listed twice. But now step one is the making of the croutons. I believe there is some bread that goes with the gazpacho ingredientd
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. August 1, 2013
Sorry for the confusion -- one of the steps somehow went missing. The recipe should be all set now.
 
Steffibell
Steffibell July 17, 2022
I have the same question. Am I making garlic thyme bread cubes to be marinated with all the other ingredients and blended in the soup (step 1) and then again as crouton garnishes (very slightly different process)…

There are not quantities given with either so it seems like one or the other… pls confirm
 
Monita
Monita August 1, 2013
I think the olive oil ingredient amount should be 1 tablespoon + 1/2 cup. In step 1 you coat the pan with the 1TBL not 1/2TBL.

Also - its not clear what you are making in step 3 - are these croutons that you are serving with the gazpacho? There isn't any serving suggestion
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. August 1, 2013
Thanks so much Monita -- I've updated the recipe. Hopefully it makes more sense now!
 
smacarol
smacarol September 5, 2012
So, thigh speed, is that slow? I mean if you're a runner, maybe not, but if you mostly sit around, then.... Or maybe it's metaphorical?
 
Anna P.
Anna P. July 22, 2013
hahahaha, you made my day
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. August 1, 2013
Hilarious. Just fixed that one.
 
CarlaK
CarlaK July 18, 2012
I was intrigued enough by this recipe (and, of course, Daniel Humm's reputation) to try it last night although I had no great expectation of it. Well, I'm happy to report it's a winner in my book. The strawberry flavor absolutely came through but in a new, interesting way -- kind of like the softer side of gazpacho. And in response to earlier comments, I halved the recipe and it served 3 perfectly so I think the sizing is right on. I also did sub out chopped fresh tomato for the tomato juice, using the same quantity and the tomato was simply another element with the strawberries the star.
 
Monica L.
Monica L. July 12, 2012
I made this and really enjoyed it! Although, I would make a few changes next time... I would use a few fresh tomatoes instead of the juice (if available) and about half the vinegar. I ate it with both fresh strawberries in it and avocado. Yum!
 
jellygood
jellygood July 9, 2012
I'm sticking to my white and tomato-based gazpachos. I know this makes me sound like a Luddite, but I just don't agree that "anything can be a gazpacho"! Gazpacho is a savoury soup. The addition of fruit makes it more fruktsoppa - a Swedish fruit soup. Delicious but not a gazpacho. If things ain't broke don't fix em.
 
donald J.
donald J. July 9, 2012
I followed the recipe exactly but I thought the flavor of the tomato juice still overpowered the flavor and scent of the strawberries. I also thought it was not properly sized as I had much more than what 4 to 6 people would normally eat. I was disappointed with this recipe.
 
Peppa
Peppa April 9, 2019
Having made this from another source, the tomato juice referred to is actually tomato water. Fresh tomatoes are chopped and blended, then strained to get the tomato "juice". It is not canned tomato juice, and it makes a huge difference..
 
donald J.
donald J. July 9, 2012
I followed the recipe exactly but I thought the flavor of the tomato juice still overpowered the flavor and scent of the strawberries. I also thought it was not properly sized as I had much more than what 4 to 6 people would normally eat. I was disappointed with this recipe.