The dc-c00kb00k Seafood Poultry Meat Sides & Snacks Bread & Pastry Soup & Chili Regional Help Misc Search
 
© Last Update:
28 Dec 2002


From: Kelley 
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 17:47:44 -0400


ahhh, at another list, someone inquired about recipe for Gazpacho. so, I 
whipped up some recipes from the file. they're for cold summer soups. For 
all you gourmet chefs out there:

At 11:43 AM 5/3/02 -0400, easily distracted wrote:

 > >What is this stuff?  I've never heard of it.
 >
 >its a wonderful cold soup made w/tomato juice, cucumbers, peppers, etc. i
 >don't have a recipe but i want one really badly. its so wonderful. and
 >since you're in texas, you should be able to get it at any good mexican
 >restaurant.
 >-linda

okayokayokay. From my catering daze: gazpacho, summer tomato and melon
soup, blueberry soup, and Greek lemon soup. We used to serve this for fancy
schhhhhmancy dinner parties, wedding receptions, etc.

GAZPACHO

6 lg ripe tomatoes
2 sweet red pepper
2 med onions (vidalia or yellow)
2 lg shallots
2 lg cucumbers 
1/2 c. red wine vinegar (or try balsamic or other flavored vinegars)
1/2 c. olive oil
1 1/2 c. tomato juice (V8 for a different twist)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
pinch of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. chopped fresh dill, reserve some perky dill tops for garnish
(very important for the best soups: fresh herbs);

Sliced lemons or zested lemon curls for garnish (requires bartenders
zester) However, I can possibly teach you to make lemon rosettes by e-mail.
let me think on that one!

1. Wash and prep veggies:

     Core and coarsely chop tomatoes
     Core, seed, and coarsely chop peppers
     Peel, seed, and coarsely chop cukes

2. Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, tomato juice, and eggs.

3. Puree small batches of veggies in a blender or food processor, add
tomato juice mixture as necessary in order to keep blades from sticking. DO
NOT PUREE COMPLETELY. Your Gazpacho should be somewhat crunchy.

4. Stir in cayenne, salt & pepper, and dill. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

5. Before serving, you might want to correct for seasoning.

Serves 8-10 ppl.

CUCUMBER TRICKS

1. Firmly grasp cucumber in your hand.
2. No really, take control of that cucumber!
3. Hold it by the base. 
4. Now for a tool: the fork. 
5. Hold fork the way the English do, forefinger pressed against back of
    fork just above the tines.
6. Run fork firmly along the cucumber, from top to your hand.
   Firmly press into cucumber, breaking the skin ever so slightly so that 
   you have "ribs". 
7. Repeat this procedure around the entire cuke.
8. Slice thinly with your mandolin.
9. Layer cuke slices on soup.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Grasp cucumber firmly in your hand, holding it by the base
2. Select your favoritist, sharpest paring knife.
3. peel a 1/4 inch of the skin from the cuke.
4. Rotate cuke and peel another 1/4 inch of skin, leaving a stripe of green
   skin in between peeled sections.
5. Repeat until entire cuke is alternating green and white stripes.
6. Slice thinly with your mandolin
7. Layer cucumber garnishes on soup.



GREEK LEMON SOUP

6 c canned chicken broth
1/2 c long grain rice (not converted or instant)
3 egg yolks
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, freshly ground.
chopped fresh parsley as a garnish

sliced fresh lemon as a garnish.

(It is very worth it to buy those cheap mandolins from amazon. They're rip
offs of the chef's mandolin like this one, they're at amazon for $9


1. Pour the broth into a pot and slowly bring it to a full boil. Add the
   rice, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 25 minutes or until rice is
   _just_ tender.

2. While waiting for rice, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together.

3. When rice is done, temper: remove soup from heat and ladle 2 cups of hot
   broth into the egg and lemon mixture. Whisk together, working quickly 
   so as not to cook the egg yolks.

4. Whisk the tempered broth and egg mixture back into the hot broth.

5. Return soup to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until soup is
   just steaming. Do not let it reach a full boil.

6. Season to taste and serve hot. Or, let it cool to room temp, cover, and
   refrigerate overnight.

7. Season to taste before serving cold.





TOMATO AND MELON SOUP

3 c peeled and seeded tomatoes
2 med sized ripe cantaloupes, seeds and rind removed
2 lg cuke, 1 1/2 for the soup, 1/2 for garnish
grated zest of small orange
1/4 c finely chopped fresh mint. mmmmMMMMMMMmmmmm! reserve the most
aesthetically pleasing sprigs for garnish. mmmmmMMMMMMMmmmmm! I LOVE
to make food look beauteous!
1 C sour cream or Creme Fraiche (recipe follows)

1. combine tomatoes, melons, and cukes in a blender or food processor.
Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Stir in orange zest and 1/4 c. mint. Whisk in sour cream or Creme
Fraiche and chill.

3. To serve, ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with a cucumber and sprig 
of mint.


CREME FRAICHE

1 c heavy cream (NOT ultra pasteurized)
1 c dairy sour cream

1. Whisk cream and sour cream together.
2. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at ~70 degrees F
   or until thickened. May take as long as 24 hours. No, you cannot speed up
   the process by putting it in the NukUler Zapper.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. The Creme Fraiche will get even
   thicker and tarter.

You can also use this to dollop on top of the lemon or cucumber slices for 
your garnish.



BLUEBERRY SOUP

5 c. fresh blueberries, reserve finest specimens for garnish.
4 c. water
4 whole cloves
1 in cinnamon stick
2/ c. honey
juice of one lemon
3 Tbl Creme de Cassis (black currant liquer)
1. Tbl blueberry vinegar
plain yogurt or Creme Fraiche for garnish
Orange to garnish: grated, orange rosettes, or orange zest strips

1. rinse berries and remove stems, leaves, green berries

2. Put berries in kettle and add water, cloves, cinnamon (DO NOT USE
   powdered cinnamon).

3. Heat over med. heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in honey, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until berries
   are tender. ~15 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and cool to room temp.

6. Put soup though a stainer or through food mill, medium blade. Stir in
   lemon juice, Creme de Cassis, and vinegar.

7. Cover and chill for at least 6 hrs.

8. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with berries, dollops of yogurt or
   Creme Fraiche, and a sprinkle of grated orange rind/small orange rosettes,
   or orange zest strips.


Enjoy!


 

 

 





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