Summer Soups - a White and Red Chilled Gazpacho

Traditional Red Gazpacho Soup and its Cool White Gazpacho Cousin

© Vicki F. Chavis

Mar 23, 2009

These vegetable-based chilled soups are a perfect first course or light main entree. No matter the time of year, the ingredients in these soups are readily available. Whether tomatoes are grown in a backyard, a building's terrace or on a farm, the flavor of a fresh tomato is crucial when preparing the Red Gazpacho soup recipe.

Ease of preparation and simple fresh ingredients quench the thirst and refresh the palate. There are, of course, regional varieties of these soups, but both of these are thought to have originated in the southern Andalusia region of Spain during the 19th century by peasants.

Red Gazpacho Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 5 or 6 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup torn watercress
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 (12 oz) can of V-8 juice
• salt to taste
• 8 drops of Tabasco sauce
• lemon juice (to taste)

Directions:

1. Process the onion and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Add cucumber and tomatoes, process until coarsely chopped. Add watercress and process briefly. Pour in large bowl.
2. Whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, vegetable juice and salt. Chill until ready to serve.
3. When ready to serve, whisk one more time, add Tabasco sauce.
4. Garnish with choice of items.

Garnish for Red Gazpacho Soup

To garnish the gazpacho, there are several choices, place them in small bowls for guests to choose:

• croutons
• roasted pine nuts
• chopped, hard boiled eggs
• diced zucchini
• diced chunks of ham
• chopped almonds
• orange segments

Serves: Eight

Preparation Time: 30 mins, plus chilling time

White Gazpacho Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Garnish for White Gazpacho Soup

• chopped fresh vegetables
• chopped hard-cooked eggs
• croutons
• roasted almonds or pine nuts

Directions:

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 mins. Stir in milk and bouillon granules. Cook over med-high heat until the bouillon dissolves, stirring constantly.
2. Add lemon juice, yogurt, pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Process in blender or food processor until nice and smooth. Chill, covered, for several hours or overnight. Garnish with chopped vegetables and chopped hard-boiled eggs, etc.

Serves: Four

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

With the fresh garden ingredients and simple preparation, these cool soups offer a clean taste of summer. The White Gazpacho is also known as Malaga's famous 'aja blanco' (white garlic) soup and can be found with soaked stale bread and fresh parsley mixed in with the other traditional ingredients.

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