There’s little use in having a Spanish-born master chef if you’re not going to take full advantage.
So to make the most of our very own Chef Gemma Gray, we’ve picked her brain for a classic Mediterranean recipe perfect during the heat of Santa Monica summer.
The result: a homemade Gazpacho soup straight from the cookbooks of Spain’s southern region of Andalusia.
Buen Provecho!
Chef Gemma Gray’s Andalusian Gazpacho
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, seeded
2 red bell peppers, seeded
10 pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded
2 Spanish onions, peeled
4 slides rustic bread, dried
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups water
4 stalks parsley
1 cup sherry vinegar
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces (or to taste), kosher salt
Method:
1. Soak cut bread for at least 1 hour in a bowl with all the ingredients chopped: tomato, pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt.
2. Blend the mix in a food processor until smooth.
3. Strain into a china cup; gazpacho should be thin so add water if needed. Season to taste on salt and vinegar.
4. Chill gazpacho for at least 2 hours before serving.
5. Serve with optional garnish
Gazpacho Garnish (optional)
Red pepper
Green pepper
Cucumber
Chopped almonds
Crouton bread
Cut the ingredients in Brunoise style, then add for a topping.
