Gazpacho with Feta Crema

This recipe was adapted from California Olive Ranch’s Classic Summer Gazpacho with Feta Crema, a whole different take on Gazpacho. Of course it includes olive oil from California Olive Ranch. Make no mistake their olive oil is competitive with the best in domestic and imported. I can count on its consistent good quality. No advertisement here just my experience. About the Gazpacho, it’s an interesting take and worth the effort.

I did change it up a bit with peeling the tomatoes and I do recommend a sweet red onion instead of the sometimes bitterness a shallot can produce. Give it a try and let me know what you feel about the results. Enjoy!

Here is my Family Loved Recipe of Gazpacho.

Recipe

2 Pounds juicy ripe (smell like tomatoes) tomatoes-not Romas, Heirlooms are good for this.
1 English cucumber (about 2-3 cups roughly diced)-peeled & chopped
1 Cup red bell pepper-stem and seeds removed and chopped
1/2 Cup finely chopped red onion-pick a flat one for sweetness
1 Clove garlic-minced
4 Tablespoons best olive oil
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2+ Teaspoons sea salt
1/4 Cup sliced chives or 1/2 Cup sliced scallion tops for garnish

Peel the tomatoes first. Wash tomatoes and remove stems. To remove the skins easily: Put a small X into the bottom of the tomato, just through the skin. Set aside. Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Put tomatoes into the boiling water for one to two minutes. Remove from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of iced water. The skin will begin to peel. Remove the peel. Roughly chop the tomatoes and remove the tough stem end. Seeds need not be saved or if you like you can add 3 tablespoons to mix.

Place the tomatoes, cucumber, red bell, onion, garlic and vinegar into a bowl together and mix with 2 teaspoons of the salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more. Remove from the refrigerator. Place ingredients plus liquids into a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Alternately you can save out 1/2 Cup or more of the chopped ingredients (not liquid) to spoon into the bowls for a little more crunch in your Gazpacho. Place processed ingredients (and saved chopped ingredients if doing this) back into the refrigerator after stirring in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Refrigerate until ice cold. Removed from refrigerator and taste of need of added salt. Serve with Crema stirred into each bowl individually. Garnish with chives or sliced scallion tops and a drizzle of olive oil.

Crema

1/4 Cup Sour Cream or plain greek yogurt
1/4 Cup crumbled Feta Cheese (with herbs included or not)
1-2 Tablespoons of milk

These ingredients can be processed for a smooth mixture or stirred vigorously by hand.