A Marvelous Gazpacho Salad
A chunkier version of gazpacho, this summery salad is filled with juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and crunchy cucumbers.
Part soup, part salad — I really wasn’t sure what to call this dish. The flavor is 100% gazpacho yet it’s much chunkier than the traditional soup. You’ll still need a bowl and spoon to eat though; the dressing is so fresh, plentiful and delicious, you’ll want to drink it!
The salad needs to be made at least an hour and a half ahead of time to allow the flavors to marry, so plan accordingly. Thanks to my friend Stacy Wilson for sharing the recipe with me.
INGREDIENTS
HOW TO MAKE IT
Begin by placing the diced onions in a small bowl and covering with cold water. Let the onions soak for 10 minutes, and then drain. This takes away their sharp edge and makes them much more palatable.
While the onions soak, cut the tomatoes in half through their “equator.” Holding each tomato half over a large mixing bowl, use a finger to scoop out the seeds and juices (those will make up part of the dressing). You can also gently squeeze the tomato half to push out the seeds.
Note: It may seem odd to juice and seed the tomatoes when you add them back to the salad anyway. The reason behind that is to preserve both. Otherwise, they tend to spill off the cutting board and make a mess (especially if you have very juicy tomatoes).
Remove the cores and dice the tomatoes.
Add to the bowl along with the remaining salad ingredients.
Toss well.
Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to marry. During this time, the vegetables will exude more juice so you’ll need to taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and more Tabasco before serving, if necessary. Spoon the vegetables and dressing into bowls and serve with spoons.
Summer Gazpacho Salad
By Jennifer Segal
A chunkier version of gazpacho, this summery salad is filled with juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and crunchy cucumbers.
Servings: 6 to 8 Total Time: 30 Minutes, plus at least 1-1/2 hours to chill
INGREDIENTS
1 cup diced red onion, from 1 small red onion
3 lbs tomatoes
1 English (or hothouse) cucumber, seeded and diced (no need to peel)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon Tabasco
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, best quality
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (okay to substitute flat-leaf parsley)
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the diced onions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.
Using a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes in half through their “equator.” Holding each tomato half over a large mixing bowl, use a finger to scoop out the seeds and juices (those will make up part of the dressing). You can also gently squeeze the tomato half to push out the seeds. Remove the cores and dice the tomatoes, then add it to the bowl with the tomato juices/seeds along with the drained onions and remaining salad ingredients. Toss well.
Chill the salad the refrigerator for at least 1-1/2 hours and up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to marry. During this time, the vegetables will exude more juice so you'll need to taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and more Tabasco before serving, if necessary. Spoon the vegetables and dressing into bowls and serve cold with soup spoons.
Note: It may seem odd to juice and seed the tomatoes when they end up as part of the salad anyway. The reason behind that is to preserve both. Otherwise, they tend to spill off the cutting board and make a mess (especially if you have very juicy tomatoes).
NUTRITION INFO
Per serving (8 servings)
Serving size: About 1 1/2 cups
Calories: 120
Fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Sugar: 7 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g
Sodium: 307 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg