Serious Gazpacho

Soup is one of my favorite foods and in the summertime, there's nothing I'd rather eat than a beautiful bowl of icy cold gazpacho. But, a good recipe has always eluded me. In my vast collection of cookbooks, I've never been able to find one that really hits the mark. Inevitably, I usually end up feeling like I'm eating a big bowl of really garlicky salsa. And like I've wasted a lot of good tomatoes.

Even restaurants have trouble getting it right. I've been disappointed by a lot of cups of what have essentially amounted to runny salsa and cold tomato sauce over the years. But, on the occasion that I find myself spooning into a bowl of really good gazpacho--the kind that makes you salivate when it hits your tongue with fresh notes of cucumber, tomato, garlic, and vinegar... ahhhh there is nothing better.

A few weeks ago, I decided to start looking for a new recipe and instead of looking to my little red cookbook cabinet, I went to Epicurious for help. And there, with a four fork rating I found the gazpacho of my dreams: Gazpacho Córdobes. 



They had me at the recipe's introduction:
My grandmother, who was a successful restaurateur from Córdoba, Spain, hesitantly relinquished her gazpacho recipe to me," says Lawrence Saez of San Francisco, CA. This nourishing cold soup is ideal for a hot summer day and is best enjoyed with a glass of Manzanilla Sherry.

Who wouldn't want to try the reluctantly surrendered recipe of someone's Spanish grandmother, no less one who was a successful restaurateur? I gleefully clicked the print button, barely skimming the recipe.

The next day, I headed to Wegman's to procure my ingredients: tomatoes, red bell peppers, english cucumbers, garlic, a rustic boule, and the all-important, no substitutions, secret ingredient: sherry vinegar. (If you taste gazpacho and it seems like it's missing something, it's likely to be that.)

When I returned, I realized I probably should have read the recipe more thoroughly. This recipe is VERY time consuming. It involves a two-day process of roasting, peeling, chopping, soaking, chilling, pureeing, and chilling again. It's a lot of work, but by no means difficult. It's just that if you're planning on serving it on a particular date, you need to give yourself at least two days notice. And once you taste the finished product, I promise you, you will be peeling those tomatoes and bell peppers--not to mention chopping, soaking, pureeing, and waiting--with glee.

I could eat this every day.

My guy likes to describe this gazpacho as "no joke." Which, in his book is a very good thing. It doesn't last more than a few days in our house, so you may want to think seriously about making a double batch.

This gazpacho is no joke.

So, without further ado, here's my take on Gazpacho Córdobes. You'll notice I leave out the tarragon and have changed some of the steps. I mostly leave out the tarragon because it's not usually available in my grocery store. But, if you have some fresh tarragon handy, by all means, try it the original way. 

Kate's Serious Gazpacho Córdobes

Ingredients
      2 pounds tomatoes, preferably campari.

2 red bell peppers
One hydroponic/english/seedless cucumber, small diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, or to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 crusty boule, crusts removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange tomatoes and bell peppers on a large jelly roll pan and roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Gently transfer tomatoes to very large, heat-safe bowl and continue to roast peppers for about 15 minutes more. 

Transfer peppers, including any juices in pan to the bowl and allow them to cool.

Peel tomatoes over the bowl and discard the skins. Then peel and seed the peppers, saving any juices. Squish the tomatoes with clean hands and then tear up the red peppers into strips. 

Add cucumbers and minced garlic to the tomato/pepper mixture. Stir and add the oil and vinegar.  Cover the bread in filtered water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain bread and gently squeezing out liquid, while leaving it moist, and stir into the tomato mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

The next day, puré mixture in a food processor. Transfer to a covered glass container and chill for at least 2 hours.

Before serving, taste and season with additional salt and/or vinegar if needed.

48 hours later, a bowl of utter happiness.