Gazpacho. Sort of.

Oh, man. This didn't exactly turn out the way I wanted it to. Maybe I'm just not a gazpacho kind of gal.

Wait. Let’s back this bus up. Let me give you the front side of this story.

I had no idea what gazpacho was until this week. MD didn’t really know about it either. We typed “gazpacho” into Wikipedia search to get ourselves informed. Wiki defines it as a “cold Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup that is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its cold temperature and acidic bite.”

I’m talking about tomatoes this week. Plus, it’s crazy hot outside. I thought this would be PERFECT for Friday’s post.

Once I started researching gazpacho recipes, it seemed like everyone was talking about it! I heard about it on television and saw it in magazines and on other blogs.

Yes, I was a little skeptical of cold soup. Although the ingredient list looked so delicious, it just didn’t sound like it could be that amazing. But, I pressed forward and committed to making gazpacho.


I didn't like it. 


I wanted to love it, but it just tasted too much like sipping salsa from a spoon. I love salsa but would rather scoop it with a chip.

MD said he loved it. He kept eating it while I was trying to take pictures. Eh, maybe it's just me?

Give it a try if gazpacho is your thing! 

I used the gazpacho recipe featured in the August 2011 issue of Real Simple.

Ingredients:

4 medium to large tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 small Vidalia onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cucumbers, half coarsely chopped and half finely chopped for garnishing
½ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon Kosher salt (Table salt is just fine if that’s what you have on hand.)
1teaspoon of pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Baguette, or other bread of choice, for serving

Directions:

In a blender, working in batches, puree the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic and coarsely chopped cucumber.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oil, vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate at least one hour and up to one day.

Top the gazpacho with the parsley and finely chopped cucumber. Serve with bread.

See ya Monday!

Christi