Big Bend Eats
By Carolyn Brown Zniewski. Illustration by Avram Dumitrescu.
C OLD S OUP FOR S PRING D AYS
Gazpacho is a soup made of fresh
vegetables and leftover bread. There is
also a fruit version developed in recent
years. It was brought to Spain by the
Moors in 711 AD. The word itself is
thought to be of either Arabic or
Hebrew origin. It was originally a
peasant food made from leftover
bread, olive oil, garlic and water. It
wasn’t until tomatoes and green pep-
pers were brought to Spain from the
New World that the cold soup became
the vegetable dish, as we know it now.
In Europe gazpacho remained a
soup for peasants up until 1930, when
French chefs started serving it as a spe-
cial summer fare. In the United States
and Mexico it was served as a cold
soup much earlier, first appearing in
the cookbook The Virginia Housewife in
1824. Until the advent of blenders and
food processors it was made using a
mortar and pestle. It is an easy and
excellent cold soup that can be a light
meal when served with crusty bread,
fresh fruit and cheese, or as a starter. It
is particularly good in hot weather.
With the farmer’s market tables piled
with fresh produce you can use any of
the following recipes, or develop a
combination of your own making.
Green Gazpacho:
2 Cups diced honeydew melon
1 Cucumber, seeded, peeled
and diced
1 Small onion, diced
1 Avocado, peeled, pitted,
and chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded
and chopped
1 Clove garlic
1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend in blender or process in food
processor. Chill. Garnish with
chopped green onion.
Traditional Gazpacho
4 Cups tomato juice
1 Onion, minced
1 Green bell pepper, minced
1 Cucumber, finely chopped
2 Cups seeded, finely chopped
tomatoes
2 Green onions, finely chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon dried tarragon
1 Teaspoon dried basil
1 Teaspoon honey
½ Cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix well. Chill at least 1 hour.
Garnish with fresh parsley.
Fruit Gazpacho
2 Peaches, peeled and chopped
1 Cantaloupe, peeled and chopped
1 Cucumber, seeded, peeled
and chopped
1 or 2 Pints strawberries
2 Slices bread
2 Tablespoons orange zest
¼ Teaspoon ginger
2 Tablespoons honey
Pinch of salt
Blend in batches in blender. Serve
cold. Garnish with blueberries and
sour cream.
Cenizo
Second Quarter 2017
11