Gazpacho con Fresa; Gazpacho with Strawberries
A Tantilizing Twist to the Traditional Spanish Summer Soup
Jun 18, 2009
Gazpacho is a historical favorite cold dish in the hot Spanish summers. It is a tasty combination of cooling and filling elements and serves as the perfect addition to a midday meal in the sultry summer months.
The traditional Andalusian gazpacho recipes includes ripe tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers, and bread. The addition of fresh strawberries discreetly alters this original taste and provides a tangy treat for the taste buds. The strawberries are meant to be a complimentary contribution to the soup, however, so this is still a lunchtime dish--not a dessert.
This recipe serves six people and is especially appreciated served as a starter for an authentic Spanish lunch.
Essential Tools for Preparing Gazpacho
At-home chefs will need to check that they have the proper tools at hand. The most important thing (besides fresh, ripe produce!) is a reliable blender or food processor. Additionally, a sieve will be necessary to achieve desired consistency.
It is also important to use a quality, fruity Spanish olive oil and a choice sherry vinegar, preferably aged.
Ingredients for Gazpacho con Fresa
- 3 lbs. ripe, flavorful tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (save the juice)
- 1 lbs. tasty strawberries, stems removed
- 4 thick slices chewy, day-old country bread, without crust, torn into pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 1/2 small white onion, chopped
- 1 each green and red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup quality Spanish olive oil
- 4 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup very cold water
- Salt to taste
Garnish Options:
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 small white or red onion, diced
- 1 cup dry bread cubes
- 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup finely sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green apple
- Swirls of oil and vinegar
Preparation of Gazpacho with Strawberries
- Place bread in medium sized bowl and add juice leftover from chopped tomatoes. Add 1 tbsp. of vinegar and allow to soak for 5-10 minutes before mashing by hand.
- In food processor, combine portions of bread mixture, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, onion, garlic, and olive oil and blend as smoothly as possible. Because of the large amount of ingredients this must be done in several batches.
- Following the blending of each batch, pass the mixture through a sieve over a large glass bowl.
- Once all batches are complete, add the remaining vinegar, the water, and salt to taste. Mix well. Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours.
- Serve cold in glass bowls. Gazpacho is lovely served with an assortment of garnish options. Add a swirl of olive oil and vinegar to each serving, and allow the guest to design the rest!
More Spanish Cooking Tips and Recipes
The Essentials of Spanish Cooking
Tortilla de Patatas; The Spanish Potato OmeletPisto Manchego
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