Gazpacho

This is what dinner looks like when it’s 100 degrees outside, or nearly. This is the third time this month I’ve made gazpacho — really four times, if you count the gazpacho that I made for my class at Central Market in Plano recently.

 

This is my most basic gazpacho recipe, the one I make without looking at a recipe. Like most soups, it’s pretty adaptable. I’ve made this without garlic and onion and used shallots instead if that’s what I have on hand, and if I have none of the above, it’ll work out, too. Tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper — those you must have. Plus what makes this soup really satisfying is what goes on top. It’s not fun without.

 

You will notice that I have a chopped egg on top of my gazpacho, which I’m only mentioning in case this seems odd to you; if you’ve had gazpacho in Spain, then you already know this is normal, plus it totally works. I usually put diced cucumber on top, too, but I forgot to save some back when I put the cucumber in the blender. Croutons are always a good idea, but I’ve made this plenty of times completely breadless, using only almonds in the soup to give it some body, and then chopping up some on top, too. Crunch is important in soups, hot or cold.

 

I love gazpacho because it cools me down with the first spoonful. I also love it because it’s easy to make and it reminds me of Spain. There is nothing not to love about gazpacho. I have no idea why there’s not gazpacho coming out of the faucets in Texas in the summertime. We need gazpacho.

 

Gazpacho

Makes 4 servings

  • 2 pounds tomatoes
  • ½ red onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded (about 1/4 cup chopped reserved for serving)
  • ¼ cup raw almonds, plus more for serving
  • 4 slices stale bread, divided
  • ¼ cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons more for croutons
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • sea salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs

 

Put a large pot of water into boil. Make an X on the bottom of your tomatoes and when the water boils, drop them into the water and set your timer for 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes, peel off the skin, and put these in the blender. Add the onion, garlic clove, cucumber, almonds, 2 slices of bread, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings. Chill for 3 to 4 hours.

 

Meanwhile, make your hardboiled eggs. Put your eggs in a saucepan, cover them with water, and put the pot onto boil. When it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and set your timer for 10 minutes. Pour off the water and rinse with cold water. When the eggs cool, you may keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve your soup.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch cubes, toss them with olive oil and a little sea salt and pepper and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. You can also make these in advance and keep in a plastic bag.

 

Before serving, be sure to taste your soup. The flavors will change slightly in the fridge, so you may need to adjust the seasonings. Pour it into bowls. Chop the eggs and add to the soup, along with some of the chopped cucumber and croutons. Drizzle with olive oil.

 

 

 

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in Dinner / Soups / Starters / Vegetables / Vegetarian

Eggplant Caviar

It may seem a little weird to be making eggplant anything in November, but it’s been almost 80 degrees in Dallas lately, and I’m going with the weather instead of what the calendar says, so t-shirts and eggplant dip it is. (Plus I noticed that Yotam Ottolenghi published an eggplant and lentils recipe in his column recently, so if he can tout eggplant when it’s past  season, I figure I can, too.)

 

I’ve been in the throes of coming up with all sorts of appetizer recipes in the last week or two, and just when I think I’m out of ideas, this one came floating back into my brain, which I’d totally forgotten about. Because as much as I love avocados, there’s only so much guac you can eat, and if this crazy warm weather holds, you’re going to need more recipes that are on the light side for the upcoming holiday season, which will include more wines that are chilled than not and a whole lot of Champagne if you’re lucky.

 

This recipe is one that I stole from my own book, and I didn’t change a thing, which is unusual for me. I’m a perpetual recipe tinkerer and normally can’t leave a recipe alone, but with this one, I didn’t see any way to improve upon the original. With chips, thin slices of toasted bread or pita, or slathered on top of a flatbread and turned into a pizza like I did last night, this is an easy add to your holiday repertoire that you can return to year-round.

 

Eggplant Caviar

Makes 2 to 3 cups

 

  • 2 large eggplants, halved
  • ½ cup/4 ounces olive oil, plus a little more for serving
  • sea salt and pepper
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • pinch cayenne
  • 8 basil leaves
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon pepitas for serving

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the four halves of eggplant on this, fleshy-side up, and with a sharp knife, make a few long slashes into the flesh of each one. Divide the olive oil between the eggplant pieces, brushing it on so it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and pop into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, until the eggplant’s soft and the top has browned. Remove and let this cool.

 

  1. Scoop out the eggplant’s flesh and mix it with a fork with the lemon juice, cayenne, and basil. Taste for seasonings, then gently fold in the cherry tomato quarters. Refrigerate for an hour before serving. Drizzle with olive oil and add pepitas on top.

 

 

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in Starters / Vegetarian

Quesadillas with Lentils + Sweet Potatoes

My obsession with the famous French lentil du Puy continues, starring most recently in this healthy-ish Tex-Mex quickie, les quesadillas. A speedy dinner, even though the lentils here are the fancy ones, so-called because of the region they come from in France, it’s pretty easy these days to find the small green French lentils, which are almost the same.

 

Smaller than most, these lentils do not turn into those muddy-tasting, amorphous brown ones when cooked; they retain their shape nicely and more than that, even, they’ve got a clean,  bright flavor. (Lentil pitch officially over.)

 

Like any other legume, it’s a good idea to make a large batch and freeze what you’re not going to eat right away, so they’re there when you need them, like at 6:30 on a weeknight, when you’re starving and have to run to the pet store for dog food, and you absolutely mean it this time when you say you will get up early the next morning and go to yoga — or maybe you’ll just see if you wake up without the alarm.

 

Quesadillas with Lentils + Sweet Potatoes

Makes 2 quesadillas

 

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes*
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1 avocado, for serving
  • salsa, for serving

 

Put 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, put one of the flour tortillas in the pan and top with: 1 cup lentils, 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes, and half of the cheese. Put the other tortilla on top, pressing it down with a spatula. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom is brown; gently flip the quesadilla to the other side, cook until browned, another 1 minute or so and put on a cutting board. Repeat with the other tortillas. Slice and serve family-style with chopped avocado on top and salsa on the side.

 

*To make roasted sweet potatoes: Peel 2 to 3 medium sweet potatoes, and slice into 1-inch cubes, and toss on a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sea salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until light brown on both sides, turning once.

 

in Dinner / Starters / Tex-Mex / Vegetarian