Summer Recipe: Golden Gazpacho

The internet is a marvelous highway. A couple of years ago Graham reconnected with a friend from his high school days and I had a chance to meet him when we visited Oregon March 2011. He and his partner write a marvelous blog called The Taste of Oregon. Both are chefs and when I saw this recipe, I thought you might enjoy trying it.

Golden Gazpacho

Victor | July 31, 2011

One of summer’s delicious and juicy treats is fresh heirloom tomatoes. They come in so many varieties, each with a unique flavor that adds its note to the chorus of tomatoes. There are purple varieties, beefstake, orange and golden yellow. Wandering the farmers markets in the late spring and early summer, its one of the vegetables I look forward to coming into season. And when they do, what a more perfect way to enjoy them than in fresh gazpacho. Chilled to take the edge off your summer afternoon.

Gazpacho is so easy to make and it’s easy to find a recipe and adapt it with your own twist. Here’s one for you to try using golden heirloom tomatoes. It has a wonderful flavor and color. And you can serve them in a wine glass to add some festivity. And then watch your dinner guests slurp it up with a smile. For a touch of adult fun, add a splash of vodka.

Ingredients

Serves 6

1. 1½ pounds (681 g.) golden heirloom tomatoes
2. 2 large yellow bell peppers
3. 1 large English cucumber (or use a regular cucumber, discarding the seeds)
4. 1 navel orange, peeled, sectioned and seeded
5. 1 tablespoon (15 ml.) Worcestershire sauce
6. 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) sugar
7. 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) salt
8. Finely chopped chives for garnish (optional)
9. Red bell pepper slices for garnish (optional)
10. Celery slices for garnish (optional)

Method

• Coarsely chop tomatoes and put in a large bowl.
• Coarsely chop yellow bell pepper and add to bowl.
• Peel and coarsely chop English cucumber and add to bowl.
• Add orange sections to bowl.
• Add Worcestershire sauce and salt and toss.
• Working with small batches, add to food processor or blender and process until liquified.
• Pour into cheesecloth and squeeze strained liquid into large bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the vegetable pulp and add it to the liquid and discard the rest of the pulp.
• Stir, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• When ready to serve, stir in vodka if desired to taste. Spoon gazpacho into wine glasses, add garnish and serve.

Enjoy!

— Vic

Victor Panichkul is a journalist and writer by training; a cook, wine lover and photographer by passion; and a lover of the outdoors since moving to Oregon more than 6 years ago. He is a native of Bangkok, Thailand.