DISH NAME : GAZPACHO

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : No cooking

Chilling Time : 4 hours

Description

Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, as it is served cold. Gazpacho remained popular with field workers to keep cool during the summer and to use available ingredients such as fresh vegetables and stale bread. Traditionally, gazpacho is made by pounding the vegetables using a mortar and pestle. This method is still sometimes used as it keeps the gazpacho cool (when not using a blender) and avoids the completely smooth creamy consistency.
Sherry vinegar is a gourmet wine vinegar made from Sherry. It is produced in a Spanish province,known as the "sherry triangle". Sherry is a wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. All Sherry is fermented as dry wine(not sweet).Whereas sweet Sherry are sweetened after the wine is made by adding a sweet wine called Pedro Ximenez (in short called PX). Sherry is also a fortified wine, which means that, after fermentation, the wine is fortified with neutral spirit from15 and 18% abv (alcohol by volume).
Balsamic vinegar is made from a reduction of cooked white grape juice and not a vinegar in the usual sense. Traditionally balsamic vinegar is aged for years. Balsamic vinegar of Modena (a place in Italy), an inexpensive modern imitation of the traditional product is widely available. This is commonly used in salad dressing with oil. Balsamic vinegar is available in some supermarkets here. Though its a bit expensive, its worth trying.

Note

1)Use only red capsicum. Don`t substitute green capsicum . Traditionally green capsicum is also used, but i found the use of red capsicum gives it a better taste.
2) Use fresh cucumber. Make sure it is not bitter.
3) Traditionally sherry vinegar (wine vinegar made from sherry) is used. The closest substitute is balsamic vinegar. Don`t use any other vinegar.

Method

1) Soak bread in cold water for 20 minutes. 2) Mix the diced tomatoes, capsicum and cucumber with the crushed garlic and olive oil in a blender.
3) Squeeze out the bread and add to the mixture and blend again till smooth.
4) Then add the salt and vinegar to taste and stir well and blend again.
5) Pass the mixture through a fine sieve if you want a real smooth texture.Then cover and refrigerate until well chilled (for about 4 hours).
6) Serve with garnishes of olives, hard-boiled egg and small pieces of cucumber and capsicum.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with garlic bread.