TASTE
Gazpacho flavors pop if you grill it, then chill it
| • | Bringing healing to the table |
By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press
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Gazpacho may taste great chilled, but the best flavors develop if some of the ingredients are heated first. And since it is grilling season, might as well do it right with a bit of fire roasting.
This recipe is particularly flexible and easily accommodates your tastes. If you like more of a raw flavor to your gazpacho, try grilling only half the vegetables. If you enjoy a bit of heat, add a jalapeno to the mix.
And if you prefer a thicker gazpacho, add 1/4 cup or so of canned white beans when blending.
This recipe takes about 30 minutes of active work, but two and a half hours total, to allow flavors to meld and develop. Make it one night and eat it the next, if you like.
GRILLED GAZPACHO
Heat a grill to high.
To help the onion quarters hold together during grilling, place them on 1 or more skewers. Thread both varieties of olives onto additional skewers. Drizzle the tomatoes, corn, onions and olives with a bit of olive oil. Place the vegetables on the grill, then cover and cook. Use tongs to turn the corn, onion quarters and olives every few minutes. Do not turn the tomatoes. The vegetables will cook at different speeds. Remove the corn and olives when all sides have light grill marks. Remove the onion quarters when they are just tender and browned. The tomatoes should be blistered and drizzling juice.
Allow the vegetables to cool enough to hold. When the vegetables have cooled, remove and discard the tomato cores and scrape the kernels from the corn. In a food processor or blender combine the tomato juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and cilantro. Puree until smooth. Add the tomatoes, onion quarters, half of the corn kernels and half of the olives. Puree until chunky smooth.
Transfer the soup to a large serving bowl. Roughly chop the remaining olives. Stir in olives and remaining corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 to 2 hours.
When ready to serve, garnish soup with cilantro and basil.
Makes 4 servings.
