Cordoban Gazpacho Recipes

GAZPACHO CORDOBES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking pan with foil.
• Arrange tomatoes and bell peppers in baking pan and roast in upper third of oven 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a large glass or ceramic bowl and continue to roast peppers until lightly charred, about 15 minutes more. Transfer peppers, including any juices in pan, to another large glass or ceramic bowl and let stand, covered, until peppers are cool enough to handle.
• Holding tomatoes over bowl to catch juices, peel and cut into pieces. Holding peppers over their bowl to catch juices, peel peppers and discard stems and seeds. Tear peppers into pieces and add to tomatoes. Pour pepper juice through a fine sieve into tomato mixture.Peel and chop cucumbers. Finely chop garlic and stir into tomato mixture with cucumbers, vinegar, and oil. Cut four 1/2-inch-thick slices from cut side of loaf and trim crusts from slices. Cut slices into 1-inch pieces and in a small bowl soak in water to cover 10 minutes. Drain bread, without squeezing out excess liquid, and stir into tomato mixture with tarragon, salt, and pepper. Chill mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• In a food processor pur e mixture, in batches if necessary, and return to bowl. Chill gazpacho, covered, 2 hours.
• Force gazpacho through a food mill into another large bowl and season, if desired, with additional vinegar, salt, and pepper.

CORDOBAN GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Soak bread in 1/2 cup water 1 minute, then squeeze dry, discarding soaking water.
• Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife). Blend garlic paste, bread, and almonds in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped. Add oil in a slow stream with motor running, blending until thick and smooth. Add tomatoes and 2 tablespoons vinegar and blend until as smooth as possible, about 1 minute. Force soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids.
• Transfer to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours. Season with salt and vinegar, then serve in small bowls, topped with egg and ham.