Gazpacho

Yesterday we have discovered a perfect Gazpacho recipe (and what can be more perfect on a hot summer day than Gazpacho?  May be cold borscht or okroshka, but hey, we gotta give credit to our Spanish friends once in a while, no?)  So here is the recipe for the soup we made yesterday, with all credit going to Epicurious.  Muy delicioso!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg
• 2 cups chopped fresh plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green or yellow pepper
• 1 cup chopped cucumber, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups beef broth (optional)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• Pepper, coarsely ground
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt
• 1 46-ounce can tomato juice
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• Tabasco, to taste

• Garnish (optional): chopped parsley, minced red onion, chopped olives

PREPARATION

Place egg in small pot of cold water, bring to boil, and let simmer for 10 minutes.

In a pot or large bowl, combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, cold beef broth (optional), red wine vinegar, parsley, oregano, Worcestershire, and coarsely ground black pepper to taste. Stir.

Sprinkle garlic with a pinch of salt, and set in bowl.

When egg is finished cooking, run under cold water, remove shell, add to garlic and salt mixture, and mash together with fork.

Pour tomato juice into large pot or bowl with vegetables, and add garlic, egg, and salt mixture. Add bread crumbs and stir so that they dissolve into liquid.

Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste. Chill for at least 4 hours and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley, minced red onion, and chopped olives if desired.

Cook's Notes:· My recipe serves eight, and it's not worth the trouble to prepare this soup for one. But like homemade tomato sauce, its flavor improves with age—you can store it in the refrigerator and eat it for about a week.
· Why mash the garlic with egg and salt? To make a garlic-infused paste that adds body and substance to the tomato broth.
· Use kosher salt to bring out the flavors of the vegetables.
· Try to chop the vegetables so that they're small but not minced or pulverized, and don't worry if the sizes aren't uniform. The pieces should be small enough to chew but big enough to recognize.
· If you prefer a more elegant presentation, emulsify the chilled mixture before serving. Seasoning is a very personal matter. I tend to like my gazpacho pungent and sharp, with salt, lemon, and onion flavors lingering on the palate. If you prefer milder soup, reduce the onion, garlic, and vinegar quantities by half. If you want a spicier soup, add 2 teaspoons of minced jalepeño peppers. To make vegetarian gazpacho, substitute vegetable broth for beef broth.