Ute cooks:GAZPACHO

My mum’s garden is a paradise of fresh vegetables and fruits. I like to come back to see my parents in the tomato season. In Carinthia,we have Norther Italian climate in the summer and this results in the most beautiful and aromatic tomatoes one can imagine. When you walk around the house,you are haunted by their delicious smell and you can’t help yourself but eating the cherry tomatoes,heated from the sun,straight from the vine. They taste of summer,of long nights drinking white wine on the balcony,of languid days on the beach with the sun on your back…

My parents buy the tomato plants in Italy,which really makes a huge difference to the ones you get in Austria and probably also in the UK. This year they went a bit overboard and have 5 different species growing. Apart from the beef tomatoes which are wonderful with mozzarella and for cooking,we have cherry tomatoes,vine tomatoes and,particularly optically pleasing,  green zebra tomatoes and yellow tomatoes. The only favourite of mine missing is the sweet and intense tasting plum tomato. Well,next year.

Tomatoes fresh from my mum's garden

Apart from tomatoes,there loads of cucumber and zucchini,huge bright orange pumpkins,red and yellow peppers,chili plants looking all innocent until you make the mistake to bite into one of their fruits,green beans,basil plants (I counted 5 different varieties),not to mention raspberries,red and black currents and figs. We also have apples and pears,but they don’t taste very nice.

It is almost too much to eat it all fresh in salads,so my favourite way to get the flavours of summer into a healthy,light and delicious dish is the Spanish Gazpacho. Dependent on which vegetables you have around and like (I for example am not keen on peppers and only add one red pepper for colour),you can vary the proportions.

GAZPACHO

Amount: for 4 people

Cooking Time: 20 min (and afterward,allow enough time to chill)

Ingredients:

• 1 salad cucumber OR 1-2 garden cucumbers
• 1 red pepper
• 2 ripe beef tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 l vegetable stock (from cube is fine)
• 1/4 l tomato juice
• 1 hot chili
• 1 big spoon olive oil
• 2 big spoons of Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche
• 1 slice of white bread (e.g. ciabatta)
• salt,pepper

Ingredients for Gazpacho

1. Peel and de-seed cucumber,cut into slices and put into sieve. Salt cucumber pieces and leave to stand for about 15 minutes. Then wash with cold water and dry with kitchen towel.

2. Peel peppers,remove pits and cut into smallish squares

3. Peel tomatoes,remove pits and also cut into pieces

4. Peel garlic clove and slice.

5. Prepare 1/4 l of vegetable bouillon,add 1/4 l of tomato juice and also add the bread to soak after removal of bread crust.

6. Combine all ingredients in a big enough mixing bowl and whiz with hand blender until smooth. Add as much of the chili pepper as you like,the yoghurt and the olive oil. Season to taste.

7. Chill until ready to serve.

8. For serving,you can add some yoghurt or butter milk or just garnish with some basil leaves.

You can also add small cubes of red and green peppers,spring onions and tomatoes,or whatever else tickles your fancy.

By the way,Gazpacho is THE hangover drink! Nothing is better than a glass of chilled,spicy gazpacho to start the day when you wake up with a sore head. It gives you the vitamines,fluids and electrolytes that you need after you have exposed your body to plenty of toxic substances. It works even better if you mix it half/half with butter milk. By the way,where do I get butter milk in London? I might need it now that the summer is here…

Gazpacho

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