LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2012 – Gazpacho is a wonderful taste of spring and by serving the Gazpacho in decorative plastic Easter eggs you’ll create a great conversation for your guests.
Any gazpacho or cold soup will work, but in case you want a good recipe here is one of my favorites.
Servings: 2 dozen eggs or themed containers
Ingredients:
6 c tomato juice
1 cucumber, small dice
1 red onion, small dice
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
1 tomato, deseeded and small dice
6 garlic cloves minced
1.5 oz sherry vinegar
1/2 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
3 limes
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
Directions:
Red bell pepper: Wash and dry the pepper. Then cut the top and the bottom off of the pepper. Next place the pepper upright on one of the cut ends and run your knife down to the opposite end. Then open the pepper and remove with your knife the white parts and seeds of the pepper.
Next open the pepper up and cut the pepper into 1 in strips and then rotate the pepper and continue cutting to make a ¼” by ¼” (the smaller bits allows you to get a spoonful of vegetables). Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Garlic: Remove the skin and cut the brown end off. Then lightly smash it with the flat part of your chef knife. Then chop the garlic to fine mince and set in them in a large mixing bowl.
Cucumber: Cut both ends of the cucumber off and cut it in half lengthwise. Then use a kitchen spoon to scoop out all of the seeds. Next make long cuts lengthwise and then turn them a quarter turn clockwise and cut the rest of the cucumber into ¼” dice . Set in the large mixing bowl.
Red Onion: Cut the top and the bottom off and then peel the outer layer of the onion. Next hold onto the onions growing end and use your knife to make multiple long cuts from the growing end to the opposite end. Then take your knife and dice the onion into ¼ x ¼” cuts. Set in a large mixing bowl.
Limes: Cut the limes in half and set aside.
Cilantro: Clean the cilantro by soaking it in a bowl of cold water and then drying them in a paper towel (this should be done in advance to allow time for drying. When the cilantro is dry finely chop enough of the cilantro to make 1-tablespoon worth and save the other half for garnish. Use a pastry scrapper to scrape up the cilantro.
Jalapeno: Wash and dry the jalapeno. Cut the top and bottom off and run your knife from the growing end to the opposite end and then open the jalapeno up. Use your knife to cut out the white part and the seeds. Then mince the Jalapeno. (The seeds of the Jalapeno are the hot part so don’t touch your eyes and wash your hands immediately after working with them).
Soup: Place all of the vegetables in a large bowl add tomato juice, limejuice, and sherry vinegar to the bowl, add salt and pepper to taste. Remember you want the soup to be spicy so add more pepper than you are used to.
Spoon the soup into the Easter eggs and put the top on for decoration and to keep the bugs out.
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