Gazpacho Anyone?

             

Refreshing, healthy and delicious, gazpacho is like a salad in a glass...

 

Gazpacho might be the perfect summer appetizer. Its cool freshness speaks of the season. It is really good for you, packed with flavor, easy on the waistline and still totally satisfying. But the best part about whipping up a gazpacho is all you need is a knife, cutting board and a blender. Here are a few of our favorite versions that are sure to please even the most discerning palates.
Alice Waters’ Gazpacho
Might as well turn to the Queen of Green, legendary Chez Panisse chef, Alice Waters, for her take on gazpacho. She keeps it simple and classic for the most part, letting the fresh vegetables shine through mostly unadorned. But her addition of water-softened bread that gets mashed into a paste with garlic and soaked dried ancho chile for a hit of heat is a masterstroke that makes the soup.
Tangy Green Zebra Gazpacho
This tasty gazpacho features Green Zebras, which are heirloom tomatoes with a striped pattern. Don’t be misled by the green color - their sweet juiciness rivals the very best reds, and their green color gives the soup a lovely jade hue. Garnish with tomato wedges, diced cucumber, torn mint leaves and a drizzle of good Extra-Virgin olive oil and you’ll be golden … er, green.
Green Gazpacho with Shrimp
Most people immediately think of tomatoes when they hear gazpacho, but there’s a whole world of gazpachos that feature other seasonal stars. Case-in-point, this Old Country gazpacho gets its bright green color from cucumbers. And if that doesn’t sound intriguing, how does the addition of onions, olives, garlic, green grapes and shrimp strike you? Yeah, I thought so. Trust me – this one is unbelievable.
Given the bounty of beautiful summer veggies at your disposal, you would be certifiably nuts not trying to wing a gazpacho at least once this summer. I’d bet good money that if you did once, you’d do it again … and again. It makes a perfect dish to serve friends because you can make it several hours ahead of time, and aside from a bit of chopping, it’s unbelievably easy to make. Give it a whirl. And don’t forget the grilled bread.