Gazpacho: How to make summer's liquid salad

MADRID - In Spain, there are as many gazpachos as there are Spaniards. Every family 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 the creamy smoothness.

Although tomatoes and peppers had arrived on Spanish 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 some 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. Too much sherry vinegar or garlic can ruin it.

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 for breakfast than a piece of toast smeared with a little gazpacho or salmorejo. 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 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. But brother never ate anything green: He thought it was like grass and did not want to be fed like a cow.

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 consommé cup and saucer, and keep it on the side throughout the meal. The same goes at my parents' house; every day in July and August, 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 extra-virgin 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 home recipes or their gazpacho memories.

I grow cherries and olives, incorporating those fruits into my gazpachos. This year, I am making watermelon gazpacho; two years ago, it was strawberry. In fact, anytime 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 garnishes of anchovies, pistachios, and cheese "snow." Mario Sandoval serves beet gazpacho with blue cheese, ginger, 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, it's perfect, cool finger food.

Gabriela Llamas is a Madrid chef and cooking instructor at La Huerta del Emperador. She recently published "Let's Cook Spanish: A Family Cookbook (Vamos a Cocinar Español: Recetas Para Toda la Familia)" (Quarry Books, 2016).

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Makes 4 servings

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Generous 21/2 pounds tomatoes and their juices, hulled and chopped, plus diced tomatoes for garnish

1 small (31/2 ounces) seeded, chopped red bell pepper, plus diced red bell pepper for garnish

2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) peeled, chopped cucumber (seedless or seeded), plus diced cucumber for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 slice day-old bread (crusts removed), torn into small pieces, plus small croutons for garnish (optional)

11/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more as needed

11/2 tablespoons Jimenez or other good-quality Spanish sherry vinegar, or more as needed

Small pinch ground cumin (optional)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably picual olive variety, plus more for optional drizzling

Diced white onion, for garnish

Diced green bell

pepper, for garnish

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1. Combine the chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, garlic and bread, if using, in an earthenware or glass bowl. Add the salt, vinegar, and cumin, if using, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours and preferably overnight.

2. To make the soup the traditional way, mash all the ingredients in the bowl. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a separate bowl, then, working in batches, use a flexible spatula to push the mashed mixture, including its liquid, through the strainer. After you have extracted as much moisture as possible from the solids, discard them.

3. Faster ways: Process the marinated mixture through a hand-cranked food mill (using the smallest-hole screen); or place the marinated vegetables and their liquid in a high-powered blender and puree on the highest speed for about 11/2 minutes, then run it through a fine-mesh strainer. (Discard the solids afterward for both of those methods, too.)

4. Stir the oil into the strained gazpacho. Taste; add salt and/or vinegar as needed. Transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Serve chilled, with the garnishes on the side - diced tomato, cucumber, onion, and red and green pepper, and croutons, if using – for diners to help themselves. Drizzle with a little oil, if desired.

- From Madrid chef Gabriela Llamas

Note: The vegetables need to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours and preferably overnight.

Per serving: 320 calories, 4 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams sugar, 29 grams fat, no cholesterol, 480 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.EndText

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Makes 6-8 servings

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51/4 ounces crustless day-old bread or firm bread

2 hard-cooked eggs, separated into yolks and whites

21/2 pounds hulled, peeled, seeded tomatoes (see note)

2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more as needed

2 to 21/2 tablespoons Jimenez or good-quality Spanish sherry vinegar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably hojiblanca or arbequina olive variety

31/2 ounces minced Iberian or cured ham, for garnish

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1. Place the bread in a mixing bowl; barely cover it with water and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain it and squeeze out the excess moisture.

2. Transfer the bread to the blender along with the cooked egg yolks, tomatoes, garlic (to taste), salt, vinegar (to taste) and oil; puree to an almost mayonnaise-like consistency.

3. Divide among individual small bowls or glasses.

4. Mince the remaining egg whites, then top each portion with a bit of them, and the ham. Season lightly with salt, as you like.

- From Madrid chef Gabriela Llamas, author of Let's Cook Spanish, a Family Cookbook: Vamos a Cocinar Español, (Quarry Books, 2016)

Note: To peel the tomatoes, score a shallow X in the bottom of each. Submerge them in a bowl of just-boiled water for 20 to 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice-water bath. The skins will slip off easily. Seed the tomatoes by cutting them into wedges, then removing the pockets of gel from each one.

Variation: Add 1 cooked beet (3 ounces; about the size of an apricot) to the blender and an extra small pinch of salt.

Per serving (based on 8): 330 calories, 4 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugar, 29 grams fat, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 270 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.EndText

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Makes 8-10 servings

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For the crust:

A generous 6 ounces olive oil crackers, such as Ines Rosales brand Tortas With Sesame and Sea Salt (may substitute other savory olive oil crackers)

3/4 ounce raw almonds

Scant 11/2 ounces (40 grams) aged Manchego cheese, grated

Scant 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

21/2 to 23/4 tablespoons powdered gelatin, or more as needed

1/4 cup cold water

3 cups Classic Gazpacho (see related recipe)

About 2 cups (141/2 ounces) low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (do not use nonfat)

Pinch ground cumin (optional)

2/3 cup seeded, diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup seeded, diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup minced white onion

1 small red hot chili pepper, seeded and minced

Kosher salt, as needed

Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

For serving:

Snipped chives, for garnish

Quartered cherry tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

Fresh herbs (your choice)

Thin cucumber or green tomato slices, for garnish

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1. For the crust: Break up the crackers, letting them fall into the bowl of a food processor. Add the almonds, cheese, and butter; pulse long enough for the mixture to come together, with no big pieces of almond. Press into the bottom, and an inch or so up the sides, of a springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use (up to overnight).

2. For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan (off the heat). Once it has dissolved, add 2 tablespoons of the gazpacho; cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat, stirring, just until the mixture is well blended. Be careful not to overheat.

3. Combine the remaining gazpacho, cream cheese, and the cumin, if using, in a high-powered blender; puree until smooth and no trace of white cream cheese remains. Add the gelatin mixture and puree just until well incorporated. Transfer to a mixing bowl, then gently stir in the red and green bell peppers, hot red pepper, and onion. Taste, and add salt and/or black pepper as needed.

4. Pour over the chilled crust, spreading the filling evenly. Cover (not directly on the surface) and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.

5. When ready to serve, run a round-edged knife around the inside rim of the springform pan, then remove the ring. Transfer the gazpacho cake to a platter; decorate the top with chives, quartered cherry tomatoes, if using, the herbs, and the cucumber or green tomato slices. Serve chilled.

- Adapted from Gabriela Llamas, chef-instructor at La Huerta del Emperador in Madrid

Notes: You'll need a 9-inch springform pan. If the weather or your kitchen is very hot, use the greater amount of powdered gelatin (23/4 tablespoons).

Serve with crackers or crisp flatbread.

The crust needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. The undecorated cake needs to set, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (and up to a day in advance).

Per serving (based on 10): 360 calories, 9 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, 28 grams fat, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 490 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

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