Not only do I not want to bake, but I don't even want to eat. That should give you an idea of just how high the mercury has risen, because I can't think of too many times when not only do I not want to eat, but am just too lethargic to eat.
But there are things that I do like to eat when it gets hot. Salads, lots and lots of salads with fresh ingredients from the farm stands here on Long Island. Wonderfully bright and tasty homemade salad dressings to finish off the greens perfectly. Crusty bread and a glass of wine--Long Island vintage, of course. Honestly, after three or four nights of that, I'm right back where I was when I started--too hot to heat and now, bored.
When I first began my professional career, I worked at a gourmet shop in the Hampton's. Wildly popular, they sold salads, breads, cookies, cakes, ducks and chickens by the boat load. There were always freshly made soups in the cooler, ready to be taken home and warmed and served with a salad and crusty bread, you had a light and delicious meal.
One of those soups was the summertime favorite, gazpacho. Or as it was first described to me; cold vegetable soup. Yeah, my eyebrows went up. That's such an awful way to describe such a delightful combination of vegetables and juice. And it's perfect for these days when the thermometer reads 100.
I have always been partial to Ina Garten's recipe for gazpacho. Very identifiable vegetables, the best tomato juice and no bread base for thickening. Another plus, this comes together quickly with the help of a food processor. No food processor, use your blender, but be careful to not over process the vegetables. Or you can chop everything finely by hand or use the blender to just liquify it all. It's up to you, but I do like the chunky style of this soup.
I do make a couple of changes to this already great recipe; I add several dashes of hot sauce and I serve the soup with a small wedge of lemon. I find the splash of fresh lemon wakes up the flavors and adds a nice note to the soup. Served in a martini glass with slices of baguette on the side, you have a perfect summer meal; light, refreshing, cool and you don't have to heat up the kitchen to make it. Even better, make it a day ahead of when you want to serve it, it tastes better the longer it sits.
As the heat continues to rise this summer, make a stop at your local farm stand or your favorite produce department and come home with the ingredients for gazpacho. Treat yourself to a quick, satisfying meal, easy to make, cool and refreshing.
And dessert? Ice pops of course!
Gazpacho (Adapated from The Barefoot Contessa cookbook)
1 hothouse (English) cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion--I use a large red onion, but add to your taste
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 cups good quality tomato juice--I used Sacramento, use what you like
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
8-10 dashes hot sauce--optional
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
8-10 dashes hot sauce--optional
lemon wedges
Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Pulse each vegetable separately in a food processor until it is coarsely chopped.
After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper and hot sauce, if desired. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.
Serve in martini glasses with a wedge of lemon. Squeeze the lemon over the gazpacho, stir and enjoy!
