chompsky

The last time I returned to see my mother after being away for quite a while, she asked I would want most to eat when I got there. I could have chosen anything–her classic chicken divan, her swoon-worthy rice pudding, a great big ball of fresh mozzarella from Drew’s Market (you see we are big cheese lovers around here), her life-altering carrot cake (no exaggeration, as you’ll soon see)–but all I wanted was gazpacho and her Portuguese soup. While all of those other things are truly delightful, sometimes you just want some veggies, and those two soups are the perfect vehicles for them. Hopefully I will share the latter with you soon, but for now, let’s enjoy some gazpacho.

This recipe is mostly the recipe recently posted by the Pioneer Woman, with a few variations based on what I recall my mother adding to her version. The biggest difference between the Pioneer Woman’s and this one is Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar, wa-a-a-a-ay more garlic, and a pinch of cumin. Those little additions are nothing to scoff at. They give the fresh vegetables a nice boost in flavor.

Perfect for a summer evening.

And what is the perfect ending to such a perfect dinner on a perfect summer evening?

Strawberries. Again.

This time mixed simply with little ribbons of fresh mint, which the grocer’s near my house has in stock for the first time since we moved here.

gazpacho
slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Nick and I are garlic fiends. We eat whole cloves raw. Well, when we’re feeling a cold coming on, anyways. We put five large cloves into our soup, and it was deeeeelish, but feel free to cut it back to two. Any less and I’d look down my nose at you. Fair warning.

5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
5 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 hot pepper, diced
Cilantro
3 1/2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar (the kind with the “mother”)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
a generous pinch of cumin
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Diced avocado

Optional:
Cotija or another crumbly cheese would have been really nice sprinkled on top

In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the minced garlic and hot pepper with three-quarters of the red onion, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, and celery. Add the tomato juice, olive oil, vinegars, sugar, Worcestershire, cumin, a large handful of cilantro, and a dash of salt. Pulse until all ingredients are blended well; mixture will have a nice speckled texture. Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the vegetables (except the avocado.) Stir mixture together and check seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed. Chill soup for at least a couple of hours; soup needs to be very cold!

Remove the soup from the fridge and stir. Check seasonings one last time. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with avocado, cheese, and a few cilantro leaves.