Gazpacho with Cucumber-Shrimp Garnish
You can prepare a red or yellow gazpacho (use yellow tomatoes and a yellow bell pepper). Keeping the skins on the tomatoes intact gives a deeper color, but if you prefer to peel them, blanch them for 1 minute in boiling water, cool them in an ice water bath, and peel off the skins.
SOUP
Generous 2 pounds red or yellow tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, corred, seeded, and diced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Few drops hot sauce
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
GARNISH
¼ English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 pint red or yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 small cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
4 ice cubes, crushed
Olive oil (for sprinkling)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Black pepper, to taste
SOUP
1. In a blender, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, shallot, and garlic. Work the mixture until it forms a puree.
2. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the hot sauce, vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
GARNISH
1. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, shrimp, and scallions. Toss gently.
2. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Into each, stir in the equivalent of 1 crushed ice cube. Top each with some garnish, sprinkle with olive oil, chives, and black pepper.
Beatrice Peltre
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