Gazpacho Andaluz

on
Gazpacho Andaluz saved my life! Literally. Years ago I spent three weeks in Madrid, Spain. It was August and meteorologists reported record temperatures. I love summer and I do not really mind the heat, but when you are in a large city, heat can really get to you.

Vegetable market in Madrid

It was so hot that after a week I did not even feel like to eat anything at all except fruit. But I had to accept some dinner invitations and believe me, Spaniards eat late. Very late! This was the time that I discovered a very nutritious Spanish raw soup - the famous Gazpacho Andaluz that originated in the southern region of Andalusia. The origins of gazpacho are disputed. It is believed that the dish was introduced by the ancient Romans, but some theories claim that it was the Arabs who brought it over to Andalusia.

Gazpacho Andaluz

I decided to post Gazpacho Andaluz as my last August recipe. It is very much a summer soup and September seems to be a beginning of a new season, even if it is still very warm out there and summer doesn't officially end until September 21st.

To evoke summer you can make gazpacho throughout the year, provided you use very ripe tomatoes. If you are making gazpacho on a very cold day, you may want to add some hot pepper. This will keep your blood circulation running.

Ingredients: 
  • 6 large, very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 
  • 1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped 
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves 
  • 1 medium large cucumber, peeled and chopped 
  • 4 Tbsp virgin olive oil 
  • 2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar 
  • 2 slices of raw, sprouted Essene bread, crust removed 
  • Celtic sea salt and freshly grind black pepper to taste 
  • 1 Tbsp chopped cucumbers and tomatoes per person, for garnish

 Gazpacho Andaluz
Method: 
  • Break the bread slices into chunks and soak it for about 30 minutes in a small bowl of purified water. Use only the amount of water that will cover the bread chunks. When the bread softened, squeeze the water out with your hands.  
  • Put all the ingredients into a food processor or a blender and blend until very smooth. Pass the liquid through a food mill or a sieve to remove seeds. Your gazpacho should be flowing and rather thin. I prefer to have it rather thick, but if you feel your soup is too thick, add some freshly purified water to dilute it a bit. 
  • Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours and serve chilled.  
  • Pour gazpacho into small bowls or glasses.  
  • Garnish with chopped cucumbers and tomatoes and enjoy in good company!  
 
Tips: 
  • To shorten the chilling time for your gazpacho you can use frozen tomatoes. I usually take half of the seeded and chopped tomatoes and place them in the freezer for half an hour or so. By the time the bread is ready for blending I also take my chilled tomatoes out of the freezer.
  • This chilled raw soup has amazing detoxifying properties. Garlic, onions and cucumbers are fantastic foods that help the body remove the toxins. Use them generously in your raw recipes.

    • In radiant health - passionately raw - Dominique

    Dominique Allmon©2013