Liquid Summer

I don’t recall the first time I tasted gazpacho. My mother has been making it since I was a kid in the 60s — and perhaps longer than that. Neither do I have any idea how many versions of it I’ve had, but it’s almost always at least good whatever the recipe. I’ve also had a cold tomato soup that, although delicious, was definitely not gazpacho. I’m still unsure what it was that made the cold tomato soup so distinctly different from gazpacho.

I had gazpacho twice when I was in Spain and the two versions couldn’t have been more different — although both were good. The origin of the soup does seem to have some general agreement. The original soup was a common base for many modern dishes found throughout Europe. It likely consisted of stale bread, mixed with oil, vinegar, and vegetables. Gazpacho, though, seems somewhat unusual in its evolution because it’s uncooked and it’s a soup instead of a salad.

The best gazpachos are made of vegetables picked and used at the height of the season. And, served immediately, they are very good. But I think the best gazpachos, although made with absolutely fresh ingredients, are even better when allowed to age for at least 24 hours to enable those incredibly fresh flavors to meld and to take on some of the flavor of the bread. With good bread the soup has a hint of yeastiness adding depth and complexity to the flavor. That yeastiness requires some age to develop.

Many recipes call for stock, but (and this is regarded by many as my worst offense) I like using V8 Juice as the base liquid.

One last comment: please use a Spanish olive oil. It really makes a difference.

Gazpacho

6 ea fresh tomatoes — peeled, seeded, & diced
1 ea green pepper — diced
1 bunch green onions — cut into 1/2″ lengths, white and 1/2 greens
2 cloves garlic — crushed
1 ea medium cucumber — peeled, seeded, & diced
1 ea lemon — juiced
8 ea large basil leaves — chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
6 c V-8
1 c fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp anchovy paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
salt to taste

Place half the veggies, half the crackers, half the olive oil, and one and a half cups of V8 juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat for remaining veggies.

Add all remaining ingredients and chill for at least six hours. Adjust the seasonings.