It was another hot and steamy day here in Savannah and based on this summer’s weather patterns, it probably was where you are too.  For supper tonight I enjoyed a big bowl  of refreshingly cold and flavorful “Gazpacho al Andaluz”.

(ok, truth be told…in true bachelor style there was no actual bowl involved, I ate direct from the plastic storage container….you may  call it “lazy” but I prefer to think of it as being “green”.  How’s that for political correctness?)

“Gazpacho” is actually an Arabic word meaning “soaked bread” and is cold soup from the region of Andalusia, Spain.  Most likely introduced to the region while it was under Arab rule,  the common thread running through traditional style gazpacho preparations is the use of soaked day(s) old bread as a thickening agent. The old bread would be soaked in cold water and then mixed with pureed vegetables or other ingredients to thicken and add body.  Most commonly today we think of it as a red soup prepared from pureed fresh tomatoes and other vegetables but one of the older variations is made from ground almonds, garlic, olive oil, and white grapes and is called “Gazpacho Ajo Blanco con Uvas” or “Gazpacho of White Garlic & Grapes”.  Today it’s easy to make these soups with the benefit of a food processor and electricity. Can you imagine what it must have been like to only have a mortar and pestle with which to make a puree?

Unfortunately when you visit a restaurant in the United States that offers Gazpacho it is often a lackluster cold watery tomato soup that can be uncharacteristically spicy in flavor.  Real Spanish-style gazpacho isn’t spicy at all.  It should have the bright fresh flavor of the tomatoes and cucumbers that make up the flavor base that is then brightened and focused with the addition of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar as well as rich flavorful body from olive oil that helps to emulsify the mixture.  The traditional garnishes of diced cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, boiled eggs, and tiny croutons all provide additional flavor, texture and body to the soup and help underscore why it is often referred to as a liquid salad.

Enjoy the ripe tomatoes of summer and keep cool with this traditional style Spanish soup that makes for delicious and filling refreshment on a hot summer day.

Gazpacho al Andaluz

A Spanish chef I once worked with told me his mother’s secret to serving ice-cold gazpacho when there isn’t time to chill it thoroughly:  Make it thicker by using less water to soak the bread and then add in a handful of ice cubes to chill the soup and thin it to her desired consistency as they melted.  If it’s at the right consistency and the ice hasn’t fully melted, simply use a slotted spoon to remove the cubes.

Yield: 8 hearty servings

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
8 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
8 large fully ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 cups dry French or Italian bread pieces, soaked in 1 ½ to 2 cups of water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Spanish sherry vinegar, or red wine vinegar
1 cup virgin olive oil

Garnishes:
2 cups French or Italian bread croutons (small size)
1 cup red onions, ¼” dice
1 cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced ¼”
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced ¼”
1 cup green bell peppers, diced ¼”
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

Working in batches, grind the garlic cloves, cucumbers, tomatoes and soaked bread in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Mix the batches together in a large mixing bowl. When processing the last batch, add the salt, pepper and vinegar. While the processor is running, slowly add the olive oil to the last batch and allow it to be fully incorporated into the mixture. Add the last batch to the others and mix well; adjust seasoning if desired. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours; preferably overnight.

Just before serving, whisk the gazpacho lightly and serve in a large chilled tureen or individual soup plates. Each person can then top their gazpacho with their choice of chopped garnishes.