Gazpacho was something that I always thought was more or less a chilled tomato soup. Here are some variations that you might try. Quite different from each other. There’s a short note at the end about varieties of cukes.
WHITE GAZPACHO
Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 4¼ hours (includes chilling) Serves: 4
Process the following ingredients in a blender or food processor until finely ground: ⅓ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted and cooled, ⅓ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and cooled, 2 cloves garlic, peeled, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Add 4 (1-inch) cubes honeydew melon and purée. With motor running, drizzle in 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, then 4 teaspoons Sherry vinegar and 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar. With motor still running, gradually add 4 cups ice water. If too thick, add more ice water. Adjust seasoning with vinegar and salt, if needed. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours. // Serve gazpacho in chilled bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with chopped chives.
GREEN GAZPACHO
Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 4¼ hours (includes chilling) Serves: 5-6
Process the following ingredients in a blender until smooth: 3 cloves garlic, peeled, 1 small onion, chopped, 1 Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped, 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped, 1 packed cup chopped cilantro, 5 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley and 1½ teaspoons salt. With motor running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, then 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar and 1 cup ice water. Stir in 1½ cups finely shredded romaine lettuce hearts. If gazpacho is too thick, add more ice water. Adjust seasoning with vinegar and salt, if needed. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours. // Serve gazpacho in chilled bowls. Garnish with julienned cilantro or parsley and/or finely diced green pepper or cucumber.
GAZPACHO ANDALUZ
Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 4¼ hours (includes chilling) Serves: 8
Process the following ingredients in a blender until smooth: 2 pounds tomatoes, quartered, 3 green frying peppers, seeded and chopped, 1 medium Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped, 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped, 3 cloves garlic, peeled, ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 5 tablespoons white-wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar. With motor running, add 2 cups ice water and process until incorporated. If too thick, add more ice water. Adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar, if needed. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours. // Serve gazpacho in chilled bowls with an ice cube. Garnish with finely chopped tomato, green pepper and/or cucumber, if desired.
Cukes – Kirby cucumbers are small, usually 6 inches long or less, with bumpy skins and firm flesh. They are the most common variety of pickling cucumbers (and are usually recommended in pickle recipes) but we also love them in salads and diced into gazpacho. Super crunchy and mild in flavor.
English cucumbers are the long, semi-seedless variety that usually come wrapped in plastic if you buy them in the grocery store. The only explanation we can find for the shrink wrapping is that it protects the skin (which is un-waxed and sweeter than that of a slicer) and prevents water loss. They are called seedless simply because the seeds are smaller and less noticeable. Like kirby cukes, the insides are firmer and less spongy than a slicer. We tend to buy these if we’re making tzatziki or anything where we need our cucumbers to be drained and dry, but they are also delicious to eat alone, since you don’t have to peel them.