The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [31]
KITCHEN NOTE: The other question to ask yourself is: Will bread be part of the gazpacho? I’ve included details for a bread variation, as it requires an extra step.
INGREDIENTS
Bread variation: About 4 ounces
(1 or 2 slices) stale bread,
crusts removed (a country-
style loaf is a good choice)
2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
About 2 pounds ripe tomatoes,
quartered (if you hate seeds,
remove them)
½ to 1 cucumber, peeled and
chopped roughly
1 medium-size bell pepper of any
color, seeded, deveined, and
chopped roughly
½ medium-size red or yellow
onion, chopped roughly
½ jalapeño or chile pepper of
choice, seeded, deveined and
finely chopped
Juice of ½ lemon, plus more to
taste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red
wine vinegar, plus more to
taste
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons salt
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
For the bread variation: Place the bread in a medium-size shallow bowl and moisten with 4 tablespoons of water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water and place the bread in the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic. Pulse until the bread starts to look like pulp. Note: If omitting the bread, the garlic will be the first ingredient to go into the food processor bowl.
Add the tomatoes gradually and pulse. Follow with the cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and chile pepper. Puree for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and vinegar. Pulse and taste. Add the basil. Pulse. Open the bowl, have a spoonful, and decide what else is needed before seasoning with the salt.
Serve at room temperature or chill for at least an hour for a more refreshing experience on a hot day. Gazpacho keeps for at least three days in the fridge in an airtight container and the flavors improve with time. Can be sipped from a glass or spooned from a bowl.
Makes six 6-ounce portions
Southern Red Rice ★ Roasted Green Bean, Mushroom, & Shallot Medley
SOUTHERN RED RICE
When I make a pot of Southern red rice, I feel as if I’m taking a bite out of history.
Rice was a major contributing factor for a booming slave trade in South Carolina for more than one hundred years and has played a pivotal role in African American history, cuisine, and culture. In the 1730s, Charleston, South Carolina, was rice central, where some twelve thousand slaves from West Africa were indentured for this purpose. And in the cuisine of the Gullah people, descendants of these slaves, rice figures prominently. Red rice is one such dish, and it is believed to be an adaptation of Jollof rice, a tomato-based pilaf from the Wolof people of West Africa.
Traditionally, red rice is seasoned with pork fat, but this version gets its smoke from smoked paprika, a.k.a. pimentón de la vera. Tangy, garlicky, and pillowy on the tongue, the rice feels more like a risotto than a pilaf. It plays nicely with the roasted green bean medley, but would graciously welcome okra if the cook wants to go all-out southern.
KITCHEN NOTES: You may grill the veg in lieu of roasting them. Make sure you have a grill basket big enough for even cooking. The balsamic vinegar would be applied just before serving. Whatever you decide, prep the veg medley while the rice is simmering.
When in season, vine-ripe tomatoes, are the obvious choice for the “red” part of the rice. Use 2 pounds of tomatoes, cored and quartered.
INGREDIENTS
1 (28-ounce) can whole Italian
tomatoes, preferably without
salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Leaves from 1 to 2 sprigs fresh
thyme (optional)
A glug of your favorite hot sauce
(optional)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-size onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups uncooked long-grain
rice
2 to 2½ cups water
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for
garnish
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
In a food processor or heavy-duty