Recipe: Beet Gazpacho

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Summertime and gazpacho go hand in hand; a freshly-made pitcher of chilled soup is perfect for a light lunch or supper during the dog days of summer. When tomatoes are in season and the days begin to heat up I always start off with the traditional mix of tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onion, garlic and oil.  But I do get tired of eating the same thing every day, so this year I added cherry gazpacho to my summer rotation when cherries were in season and now my new favorite is beet gazpacho.

Since the real stars of the show are the tomatoes, make sure you get really good ones. Pale, pink, crunchy tomatoes just won't cut it. My favorite tomatoes for gazpacho are "gazpacho" tomatoes. I have no idea what variety they really are, but they are delicious, juicy and meaty and that's what they call them at Amatller. I usually buy a couple of kilos at a time because we often eat them just as they are—which his the point, they should be that good or don't bother.

Though peeling and slow cooking fresh beets does take more time, it's worth the extra effort—fresh beets are sweeter and have a fuller flavor than the pre-cooked versions you can find in the supermarket (but they'll do in a pinch). Adding cooked beets and cutting out the usual onion gives the soup a sweet, earthy flavor that pairs nicely with avocado, cilantro, cumber and Greek yogurt.

INGREDIENTS

For Gazpacho:

  • 1 kg tomatoes
  • 500 g beets, cooked
  • 1 medium cucumber (about 180 g)
  • ½ large red bell pepper (about 150 g)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 120 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 25-50 ml (⅛-¼ cup) water
  • salt to taste

Suggested Toppings:

  • Greek yogurt
  • olive oil
  • avocado
  • cilantro
  • cucumber

METHOD

  1. Peel and cook the beets. I buy about 600 grams so that I have 500 grams of after peeling. I like to cook them in the slow cooker with a splash of olive oil, but you can also buy them already cooked.
  2. Core and coarsely chop the tomatoes. Peel, de-seed and coarsely chop the cucumber. Chop half of the red bell pepper.
  3. Add the beets, all the chopped vegetables, minced garlic and a pinch of salt to the bowl of a food processor or a deep-sided sauce pan if you're using an immersion blender.
  4. Blend until smooth. If you're using tomatoes that have a relatively low juice content, you may need to add water at this point if the puree is too thick and chunky.
  5. Once you have the puree at the consistency you like, gradually add the olive oil as you continue to blend. The goal is to get the oil to emulsify with the liquid, so you may need to add more oil to reach the desired consistency.
  6. Add the vinegar a half tablespoon at a time, tasting between each addition until you are happy with the results. I tend to go lighter than most on the vinegar—add as much or as little as you like to suit your taste.
  7. Salt to taste and then chill. I go easy on the salt because I like to add a sprinkling of herbed finishing salt on it at the table. For the best results, I suggest you make it a day in advance to allow the flavors to blend and the soup to chill thoroughly. This recipe makes approximately two liters of gazpacho and can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days.

Toppings

I like to top beet gazpacho with cucumber, avocado, Greek yogurt, cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of seasoned finishing salt. Other suggested toppings include goat's cheese, fried Serrano ham strips and croutons.

Note: If you won't be using all of the gazpacho in three to four days, you should freeze it. Since it isn't cooked, keeping it for more than four days in the refrigerator can increase the risk of developing Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which flourishes in low-oxygen environments and causes botulism poisoning. It sounds scary, but it's very rare and like most food-borne illnesses, won't happen if you handle, prepare and dispose of food properly. Freezing fresh, uncooked soups solves this problem because it prevents the bacteria from growing.