Summer

Heirloom Gazpacho, Deconstructed

by:
June 25, 2011
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

Note: it looks like there should be a separate gazpacho category, because there are so many interesting versions here. I am entering this on behalf of myself and my husband. We thought of this soup together after trying the fantastic tomato water martini at Clio restaurant in Boston, but he was the one who executed it perfectly (see the lovely small dice on the veggies), for a summer dinner party we had last year. It is a soup best made in August or September, when tomatoes are at their peak.

We finished it with a dash of mango habanero hot sauce - the sweetness and heat balanced the acidity of the tomatoes nicely. - PippaG —PippaG

Test Kitchen Notes

PippaG's deconstructed gazpacho is an elegant spin on a classic, and makes for a lovely summer soup. The tomato water makes a surprisingly flavorful soup base. It's balanced tangy-sweet-salty flavor really shines. The crunchy fresh vegetables and bright cilantro are perfect additions, and a splash of olive oil and hot sauce round everything out. Italian parsley works well as a substitute for cilantro if necessary. Either way this delicious soup is a perfect first course for your next dinner party -- I know it will be at mine. - hardlikearmour —hardlikearmour

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Ingredients
  • 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom
  • 1 Red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, cut in half and seeds removed
  • 2 scallions
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • habanero hot sauce
  • kosher salt
Directions
  1. Process tomatoes in a blender with 1 tbs salt until coarsely chopped.
  2. To make the tomato water: wrap tomato pulp in cheesecloth, and tie around a wooden spoon.
  3. Hang spoon across a mixing bowl large enough so that the cheesecloth doesn't touch the bottom, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Do not squeeze the cheesecloth bundle to extract more liquid (this ensures that the "water" is as clear as possible).
  4. Preparing vegetables: finely dice bell pepper and seeded cucumber so that all the pieces are the same size. slice the scallion thinly, and finely chop the cilantro.
  5. spoon a teaspoon of each vegetable into the tomato water , as well as a pinch of cilantro. Finish with a dash of any hot sauce with a bit of sweetness, a drizzle of good quality olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt.
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