If I invited you to dinner and told you we were having cold soup, you’d probably think I had lost my mind. But if the cold soup was Gazpacho, you’d be quite happy, indeed. This Andalusian transplant is the consumate summer soup. Garden fresh vegetables are blended into a chunky soup that is hearty yet light, satisfying enough to fill you up, but light enough so you have room for dessert.
Traditionally this is made with tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, but fruits and other vegetables can be included. Gazpacho can be chunky enough to eat with a spoon or smooth enough to drink as a remarkable Bloody Mary mixer.
We had these at Mercat a la Planxa, a Spanish restaurant that has one of the most impressive Bloody Mary Bars I’ve ever seen. This is about my gazpacho, so if you want to learn more about the restaurant click here.
My gazpacho included the above mentioned ingredients along with some grilled corn. I used vegetable juice to keep things moving as well as sherry vinegar for a little tang.
This is one of those dishes that I make differently every time. It’s usually based on what’s in season and what looks the most beautiful. Sometime I give it some spice with jalapenos and a plethora of peppers. Other times it’s a cucumber extravaganza. It all depends…
This recipe is a guideline that includes the techniques needed to make gazpacho. As I always say, make it you own. Add or subtract at your whim. Fruit gazpacho is quite tasty, so feel free to go there. Â Don’t let the summer go by without trying this recipe.
Instructions
Peel the cucumber and chop into pieces about 1 inch.
Quarter the tomatoes. Core and seed them and chop into pieces about the same size as the cucumber. Put both in a large bowl.
Chop the onion into one inch chunks. Do the same with the bell pepper. Add them to the bowl.
Roughly chop the garlic, parsley, and cilantro and toss them in with the other vegetables. Mix everything together.
Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside
Place a manageable amount of the vegetable mixture into the processor bowl. Add some of the vegetable juice and process until the mixture is slightly chunky. ( make this as smooth or chunky as you like) Put the processed vegetables back in the bowl.
Continue to process the vegetables with the vegetable juice until they are all the consistency you want. Add the corn to the bowl of vegetables and stir to mix everything well.
Add the juice of the lemon half, the vinegar, paprika, and cumin. Stir well and taste for seasoning. Add a little salt and any more of the flavorings that you want.
Cover and chill for several hours. Serve in soup bowls or goblets and garnish with cilantro or whatever you would like.
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Panzanella is a wonderful vehicle for the bounty of summer vegetables, It’s also a bread lover’s best friend. Any assortment of vegetables can be combined with toasted bread cubes. Toss it all with the vinaigrette of your choice and you’ve got a hearty salad that almost eats like a meal. 
Slice up some grilled meat or an interesting cheese and call it dinner. The ingredients listed below are what I made this time. I honestly make it differently every time. I’ve even grilled the vegetables. Choose a crusty bread that is just a little stale. This go round I used a multi-grain baguette, but sour dough would be wonderful, too. The bottom line for this recipe is use what you like to make the panzanella salad you’ll love.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Spray the bread cubes lightly with the olive oil spray. Bake 15 minutes until the cubes are lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut crosswise into 1/2 slices. Cut the onion in half crosswise. Cut each half in thin vertical strips.
Put the onions and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the chopped pepper, cucumbers, and the bread cubes. Tear the basil leaves into bite size pieces and add to the bowl.
Dressing: Mash the garlic, anchovy paste and a pinch of salt in a mortar. It should be a fairly smooth paste. Combine the oil, vinegar, herbs, and the garlic anchovy paste in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until the dressing is completely blended.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the bowl and toss to coat. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve.
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