9/09/2012

Gazpacho

                                      GAZPACHO  

                                                          


 

Origins

If there is a typical Spanish dish in hot weather it is the gazpacho.
Possibly one of the oldest foods of mankind although there is no exact date of its invention, the first references date back to the first century BC as the poet Virgil in his written Publius "Eclogue II" tells of a rural dish prepared by mashing various vegetables, garlic and herbs. 

Gazpacho is a cold soup, which is eaten in the summer months because it is very refreshing and very interesting in terms of nutrients, since it is a cocktail of vitamins and minerals.

It is one of the dishes of Spanish traditional cuisine.  It can be used as a starter and you can accompany with chopped vegetables into small pieces, the same ones you used to prepare the gazpacho and croutons.  It can also be accompanied with crispy bits of bacon or ham.

There are many different kinds of Gazpacho although the most famous is the Andalusia one.


    

Nutrients

Gazpacho is a natural source of vitamin C (mainly for the content of pepper), vitamin A and vitamin E, carbohydrates, some minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, potassium and sodium as well as fiber and antioxidants such as lycopene responsible for the characteristic red color of tomatoes and also carotenoids.

Gazpacho recipe



Timescale: 15 minutes
Level of difficulty: Easy
Price level: very affordable
Ingredients:
8 plum or Italian tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 cucumber, 1 small green bell pepper, 3 thick slices of bread, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt.


   Put in the largest jar blender chopped tomatoes, onion, peeled and chopped cucumber, pepper and garlic, add 2 glasses of water. Blend all with the mixer.  Now enter a sprig of parsley, washed and chopped, 2 tablespoons oil, another of vinegar and a pinch of salt to taste. Blend one last time and the gazpacho is done!. If it is too thick, pour more water and then beat with the mixer again. If it is too liquid, you can make your own croutons or add some bread and blend all again with the mixer. Cool in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours and even better if allow to cool for 24h. 



Tips:

How to ripen tomatoes

If the tomatoes you have bought are too green and you want to ripen them, do not store them in the fridge; tuck them inside a paper bag with an apple or a plum tomato, then put the bag in a warm and dark place for two days.

How to make homemade croutons

It is better to use stale bread. Cut the bread into slices. Put some olive oil in a fry pan and when it is hot, add the slices. When they are ready, take them out and drain the excess oil well. Or use toasted bread instead of frying. Once they are cold, cut them into small cubes. 


For more delicious flavors try growing your own tomatoes as shown on our Garden Fresh page!


See also:

Paella

Seafood Rumba