My beautiful Angel, Clare, loves gazpacho. Previously, I made a gazpacho with shrimp based upon a recipe from Patricia Fernandez de la Cruz, who is the wife to Jose Andres. That particular chilled soup was so delicious that it has become one of our favorites. It was a traditional gazpacho, with raw tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers being blended into a liquid (with other ingredients, such as stale bread) and served with a garnish.
Indeed, a traditional gazpacho is made with raw tomatoes and vegetables. The raw nature of the tomatoes and vegetables is what, in my humble opinion, gives this soup its fresh character. And, it is a very delicious character. However, I did not want to make just another gazpacho. I wanted to experiment with this dish. The only question is what tweeks or twists could I do to make something that is just as delicious as the traditional soup.
As it turns out, I was planning to smoke a pork shoulder when I was thinking about this issue. The thought of lighting the chimneys for the smoker got me to think about grilling the tomatoes and vegetables. I then did some research and came across a recipe for a Fire Roasted Gazpacho. The recipe comes from Steven Raichlen, the professor at Barbecue University. The recipe calls for grilling the traditional ingredients to a gazpacho -- tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers -- along with onions. It also calls for roasted garlic (which is not an ingredient in the traditional soup). After all of the grilled vegetables are cool, then you remove the skins and blend them just as you would if they were raw vegetables. The end result is just as delicious as the traditional recipe.
But, I wanted to experiment a little further. Rather than using traditional gazpacho garnish, such as diced tomatoes, peppers and stale bread cubes, I decided to garnish this dish with some jumbo lump blue crab. A nod to Steven Raichlen's roots of growing up in the State of Maryland, where the blue crab is king. It was definitely a great final touch to this recipe. (It was a bit of a splurge, so you can use lump crab or even claw meat, but don't use special or backfin because the pieces will be too small for the soup).
Indeed, a traditional gazpacho is made with raw tomatoes and vegetables. The raw nature of the tomatoes and vegetables is what, in my humble opinion, gives this soup its fresh character. And, it is a very delicious character. However, I did not want to make just another gazpacho. I wanted to experiment with this dish. The only question is what tweeks or twists could I do to make something that is just as delicious as the traditional soup.
As it turns out, I was planning to smoke a pork shoulder when I was thinking about this issue. The thought of lighting the chimneys for the smoker got me to think about grilling the tomatoes and vegetables. I then did some research and came across a recipe for a Fire Roasted Gazpacho. The recipe comes from Steven Raichlen, the professor at Barbecue University. The recipe calls for grilling the traditional ingredients to a gazpacho -- tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers -- along with onions. It also calls for roasted garlic (which is not an ingredient in the traditional soup). After all of the grilled vegetables are cool, then you remove the skins and blend them just as you would if they were raw vegetables. The end result is just as delicious as the traditional recipe.
But, I wanted to experiment a little further. Rather than using traditional gazpacho garnish, such as diced tomatoes, peppers and stale bread cubes, I decided to garnish this dish with some jumbo lump blue crab. A nod to Steven Raichlen's roots of growing up in the State of Maryland, where the blue crab is king. It was definitely a great final touch to this recipe. (It was a bit of a splurge, so you can use lump crab or even claw meat, but don't use special or backfin because the pieces will be too small for the soup).
RAICHLEN'S GAZPACHO ON FIRE
WITH MARYLAND LUMP CRAB
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 large tomatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium cucumber
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 medium sweet onion, unpeeled
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, unpeeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, plus more for garnish
1 cup cold water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 large tomatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium cucumber
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 medium sweet onion, unpeeled
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, unpeeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, plus more for garnish
1 cup cold water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Directions:
1. Grill the vegetables. Light a grill. Wrap the garlic cloves in a sheet of foil. Grill the tomatoes, cucumber, green and red peppers, onion and garlic until the vegetables are charred all over and almost softened, about 8 minutes for the tomatoes, cucumber and bell peppers, about 10 minutes for the garlic and 15 minutes for the onion. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove the charred skins as well as any stems and seeds and chop them coarsely.
2. Prepare the gazpacho. Transfer all of the vegetables, including the peeled garlic to a food processor and puree. With the machine on, gradually add the 1/4 cup of olive oil, then blend in the vinegar. Add the 1/4 cup of the herbs, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the water and season with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Ladle the gazpacho into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and serve.
2. Prepare the gazpacho. Transfer all of the vegetables, including the peeled garlic to a food processor and puree. With the machine on, gradually add the 1/4 cup of olive oil, then blend in the vinegar. Add the 1/4 cup of the herbs, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the water and season with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Ladle the gazpacho into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and serve.
ENJOY!
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