Summer’s brightest bite
Versatile gazpacho is sophisticated dish that requires a deft balance of components
MADRID — In Spain, there are as many gazpachos as there are Spaniards. Every family here has its own recipe with its own little changes.
I much prefer gazpacho made in a food mill, as that allows for some texture, and that is the way it was made when I was young. Nowadays it is done in a blender, but it does not turn out exactly the same. Machine-blended gazpacho with bread and olive oil is more like a salmorejo, but without that soup’s creamy smoothness.
Although tomatoes and peppers arrived on our tables by the 16th century, red gazpachos that used them did not become popular until the 19th century. Big landowner families that had a lot of country employees generally had a “gazpachero,” a man who would prepare gazpacho for the peasants working on their estates. These men made gazpacho by pounding the vegetable mixture in an olive wood bowl, as in a mortar. They were very patient, as it took quite some time. The main difference between gazpacho and some of its variations lies in texture and emulsion. In a classic Spanish gazpacho, olive oil is simply stirred in at the end; in salmorejo, porra and other soups, the olive oil is emulsified, resulting in a brighter orange color and a smooth, creamy texture. Pipirrana’s components are the same as those in gazpacho, but they are diced; with the addition of a little water or ice cubes, it turns into a liquid salad, and the bread is served separately, for dipping.
(When making salmorejo or porra, which use a greater amount of bread, it is a good idea to process the ingredients twice, to achieve a smooth, velvety texture.)
Gazpacho is a sophisticated dish that takes to a multitude of variations. But with all its versatility, it still requires a certain balance of components. In particular, too much sherry vinegar or garlic can ruin it.
Here in Spain, gazpacho can be a drink, an appetizer, a tapa, a dip, a sauce or seasoning, a starter, a
main dish, even a dessert. It is eaten at any time of the day and at any time during a meal. Nothing is more delicious than a piece of toast smeared with a little gazpacho or salmorejo for breakfast! Gazpacho goes well with almost everything but is difficult to pair with wine. The best wines to drink with gazpacho are sherries (fortified wines from Jerez) and whites.
Gazpacho can be served in a glass or bowl, on a plate, as a dip, with the garnishes on the side or over it, but always fresh or cold — never frozen, though, except for the exotic creations of the most adventurous chefs. The traditional earthenware bowl is perfect to maintain its cold temperature during hot summer months.
Babies in Spain do not eat gazpacho because of the soup’s vinegar content and use of raw tomatoes, which are not recommended for infants. But by age 4 or 5, children begin to get used to gazpacho. How much they like it depends on the amount of garlic and vinegar you put into it. Teenagers, on the other hand, generally love gazpacho and never seem to tire of it.
For one of my daughters, gazpacho was a late taste acquisition. She never wanted to eat anything red because she thought it looked too much like blood. I used to make green or white gazpacho for her. Then again, her brother never ate anything green: He thought it was like grass and did not want to be fed like a cow. Children.
When we were young, if there was no gazpacho during the week, we felt terribly disappointed. Today, I have to make a bowl of it almost every day. Even if the refrigerator is empty, as long as there is gazpacho, salmorejo or a similar soup, everyone is happy. We typically serve it in a consomme cup and saucer and keep it on the side throughout the meal. The same goes at my parents’ house; every day in July and so far this month, there has been a gazpacho of some kind for lunch and dinner.
I like to try out new ways of making gazpachos, and I love to experiment with different tomatoes, different extravirgin olive oils, different vinegars. We make a lighter or more substantial gazpacho, depending on the mood we are in or how hungry we are. If we are having guests over, it is a must, and everyone loves to share their home recipes or their gazpacho memories.
I grow cherries and olives, incorporating those fruits into my gazpachos. But this year I am making watermelon gazpacho; two years ago, it was strawberry. In fact, any time I make gazpacho, I add fruit — maybe a piece of peach or apple or another other fruit in a small amount. I find it balances the acidity of the vinegar very well.
In Spain, gazpacho is more popular than ever and a frequent source of inspiration for innovative chefs. Ramón Freixa’s gazpacho at his eponymous restaurant is made with olives and olive salt. Joan Roca of El Celler de Can Roca serves a gazpacho in a beautiful presentation in which garnishes are artfully arranged in a bowl and the soup is poured over. Vegetable master Fernando del Cerro, now at Restaurante Lavinia, invented “gazpacho water,” a delicate dish. Mexican chef Roberto Ruiz (Punto MX) makes an avocado gazpacho with a pico de gallo salsa. Diego Guerrero (Dstage) invented a beef-heart tomato, raspberry and jalapeño gazpacho. Malaga-born chef Dani García, at his Michelin two-star Restaurante Dani García, started a revolution with his cherry gazpacho and its garnishes of anchovies, pistachios and cheese “snow.” Mario Sandoval serves a beet gazpacho with ginger, blue cheese and fish roe at Coque.
I make a pine nut gazpacho garnished with fresh herbs and fermented garlic. But one of my favorite recipes involves turning gazpacho into something else. Inspiration came from a young American chef staging with me. He was extremely creative with our food, and one day turned gazpacho into a sauce for a cold dish.
Following his path, I mixed leftover gazpacho with cream cheese, diced vegetables and gelatin — along the lines of a savory, no-bake American cheesecake. The press-in crust is a quick blend of olive oil crackers, almonds, a little Manchego cheese and butter. Topped with herbs or anchovies and/or olives, then sliced and served on crisp flatbread or crackers, it’s perfect, cool finger food.