Malaga Almond Gazpacho
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Recipe Summary : Difficulty : Easy Active time : 30 min Start to finish : 3 hrs 1/2 Yield : 4 servings |
| This gazpacho from Málaga gets its pure white color and creamy consistency from blanched almonds. Sweet green grapes are the essential counterpoint to the tang of garlic and vinegar. The addition of shrimp comes from chef Bartolomé Rodrigo Lucena. | |
Ingredients :
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Garnish: 24 peeled seedless green grapes and 12 peeled cooked small shrimp (about 1/3 lb). |
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How to cook : |
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| 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 and almonds in a food processor until nuts are as smooth as possible. Add bread and 1 tablespoon vinegar and, with motor running, add oil in a slow stream, then add ice water and blend well. Force purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids. Transfer soup to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours. Season with salt and vinegar before serving. Cooks’ note: Gazpacho can be chilled up to 2 days. |
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Wine suggestion: |
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| a White Spanish wine : a DO Penedes - Loxarel Gaia - 2005 - Sauvignon Blanc - Powerful, parfumed, with musky notes and aromas that remind Valerian. Later, exotic fruit fragrances appear. Harmonious, perfect balance between the acidity and the alcohol. The aftertaste leaves a pleasant trace that invites us to repeat. This light-bodied Sauvignon Blanc can be enjoyed as an aperitif and also matches fish in white sauce and hard cheese. It’s the perfect wine for this Gazpacho.
Bon appétit Brice (Recipe adapted from Parador de Gibralfaro, Málaga, Spain - photo by Rita Maas) |
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