Golden Gazpacho

Heidi's recipe of the evening (which I've just eaten; it's very very good), which is perfect for these fine summer evenings.

Golden Gazpacho

3 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
3 small zucchini, skinned (you want the small kind; they'll have a better flavor)
2 very large yellowy-pinky heirloom tomatoes, very ripe
A tablespoon of butter. Two, if your arteries feel up for it.

Melt butter in medium-large pan on medium-high-ish heat. Mince shallots and add them. Mince garlic and add it. (Note: there are two ways to utterly ruin garlic. One is to buy it in a jar, pre-minced. The other way is to put it through a garlic press. You want to whack your garlic with the back of your knife so that it splinters, and than cut it up in little bits and pieces). Stir semi-frequently, cooking until shallots are translucent.

Cut the zucchini into mid-size chunks. You don't have to peel it, but if you don't, your gazpacho will end up a browny-green, which isn't the most appealing color for food. Toss the zucchini in with the shallots. Continue to stir. Cut up your tomatoes, also into mid-size chunks. Toss these in with the zucchini and shallots. Stir for a bit, then reduce heat slightly and cover. Cook for five to ten minutes, until all the juice has run out of the tomatoes and the zucchini are no longer crisp.

Toss the whole mess in the blender, liquify, and then pass through a filtery-thingy (a sieve? Is that right? You want something with a fine enough mesh that you'll get most of the big fibrous bits out, but not so fine that you get no pulp).

Serve extremely well-chilled.

Posted by Heidi at August 12, 2004 09:18 PM | TrackBack