We love soup! But what if it's too warm for stew, the pumpkin season is over, or the kids no longer want to eat barley? The best solution comes from Spain: in the form of gazpacho! This cold soup tastes wonderfully fresh and can also be varied in a wonderful way.
The original gazpacho, a recipe from the time of the Moors, was based on garlic, cucumbers, and bread – the better-known red version with tomato and pepper was only invented after Columbus brought these new vegetables from South America to Europe.
We were also craving something red this week ... and because the first strawberries are so beautiful right now, our head chef Thomas has created a wonderful strawberry gazpacho for us this week.
We are absolutely thrilled and would have nothing against this fruit bomb being on our table every day!
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 celery stalks
- 1-2 white onions
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1 small garden cucumber
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1-2 tsp Piment d'Espelette (to taste)
- 150 grams of strawberries
- Salt and pepper
- some olive oil
- Sardines to fry with oriental spices, La Belle-Iloise
Preparation:
Peel the bell pepper, remove the core, and cut it into small pieces. Peel the carrots, onions, and garlic, and cut them into small pieces along with the celery and zucchini.
Briefly roast the vegetables in a hot pot with olive oil (approx. 2-3 minutes). Season with a little salt, pepper, and Piment d'Espelette, add the tomato paste, and sauté for approx. 1 minute.
Remove the pot from the stove and let the vegetables cool. Wash the tomato, cucumber, and strawberries, cut them into small pieces, and mix them in with the cooked vegetables.
Take the sardines out of the can and add the marinade to the vegetables.
Then blend everything finely with a hand blender or mixer, adding a little olive oil so that the gazpacho becomes nice and smooth.
Optionally, you can strain everything through a fine sieve at the end to eliminate any remaining seeds and pieces. If you like it a bit coarser, you can skip this step.
Now season the soup again with salt, pepper, and piment, and serve with the sardine (fried or cold, both taste good!). Bon appétit!
Our conclusion: This soup is a wonderful, aromatic, simple, quick summer meal that can be varied at will. Our answer to the green smoothie hype!
Wine recommendations:
As a matching wine pairing, we recommend the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé 2024 Villa Madeleine.
The bouquet unfolds seductive aromas of white-fleshed fruits such as vineyard peaches, complemented by delicate herbal notes of tarragon, bergamot, and linden blossom. On the palate, it presents itself finely crafted and refreshing with a subtle hint of fresh ginger, which provides a pleasant liveliness.
Alternatively, we recommend the Truques Rosé 2024 - Douro by Quevedo. This refreshing, fruit-forward rosé combines surprise, lightness, and pure enjoyment in every sip, making it ideal for warm days and convivial gatherings with friends.
