Bloody Mary Gazpacho is perfect antidote for summer
By Lynda Balslev
TasteFood
If heat could speak, then it would have been shouting this weekend. Summer is in full force, and the temperatures are soaring. When it’s this hot, appetites wane, thirst dominates and food takes on a cool and liquid quality. In other words, it’s time for gazpacho.
Gazpacho is a raw tomato-based soup blended with a cornucopia of produce. It’s perfect when the weather is stifling. No cooking is required: The spiced tomato juice quenches thirst, and a confetti of chopped vegetables refreshes and nourishes without feeling heavy. I prefer to keep my gazpacho chunky. I don’t puree it, so I can take pleasure in each slurpy mouthful of crunchy vegetables mingling with cool juice.
The usual vegetables in gazpacho are tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. I always add more for color, flavor and texture. Carrots and bell peppers add sweetness, chile peppers add a kick of heat, even fennel is a nice addition for its anise flavor and crispy texture. Spices can either tip toward the Southwest with cumin or veer to the Mediterranean with basil and oregano.
In this recipe, I took inspiration from the Bloody Mary, my favorite veggie cocktail and added celery, Worcestershire sauce and a generous squirt of Tabasco. It essentially tastes like a Virgin Bloody Mary, with a whole lot of crispy garnishes. And now that we’re talking cocktails, you might even be tempted to add a splash of vodka to finish it — and why not? If you’re in the mood (and appropriately of age), take that extra step and add a glug of vodka for a wondrous beverage-soup-and-salad in a glass, and you’ll have a perfect (adult) antidote to a hot and shouty day.
Lynda Balslev is the co-author of “Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture” (Gibbs Smith, 2014). Contact her at TasteFood, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo. 64106, or send email to [email protected]. Or visit the TasteFood blog at tastefoodblog.com.
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