Grammy's Recipe Book Soups

Gazpacho

From Phyllis Caramanica

Prep
25 min
Rest
4 hrchill
Total
4 hr 25 minstart to eating

Times are our estimates for Grammy's recipe, with unhurried prep.

Grammy's handwritten page for Gazpacho
Page 22 · full size

As written

Word for word from her page, with her spelling and line breaks. [?] marks a word we couldn't read.

Gazpacho - Phyllis Caramanica

3 large tomatos
1 large cucumber pared
1 small onion
1 small pepper
1 pimento drained
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cans 12 oz tomato juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp tobasco
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic

Blend veggies + half juice. In
large mixing bowl combine rest +
chill several hours

Grammy's recipe

Her recipe, typed out to cook from: her amounts and her words, with abbreviations spelled out and the steps numbered.

Ingredients

  • 3 large tomatoes
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 small pepper
  • 1 pimento, drained
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 (12-ounce) cans tomato juice
  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic

Method

  1. Blend the vegetables with half the tomato juice.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Chill several hours.

Modernized

A present-day cookbook version, with missing steps filled in. These are suggestions, not her words.

Ingredients

  • 3 large ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded
  • 1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ⅓ cup good extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup red wine or sherry vinegar
  • 2 (12-ounce) cans tomato juice
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

Method

  1. Roughly chop the vegetables. Set aside a small handful each of tomato, cucumber and pepper, finely diced, to garnish.
  2. Blend the rest of the vegetables and the garlic with half the tomato juice until as smooth as you like.
  3. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the rest of the juice, the oil, vinegar, Tabasco, salt and pepper.
  4. Chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  5. Taste. Cold dulls seasoning, so add more salt or vinegar if needed. Serve topped with the diced vegetables and a drizzle of oil.

Ideas to play with

Twists and variations to try. Suggestions, not hers.

  • Watermelon gazpacho

    Replace one tomato and half the tomato juice with 3 cups of seedless watermelon.

  • Shrimp

    Top each bowl with chilled cooked shrimp and avocado for a summer lunch.

  • Shooters

    Serve in small glasses at a party with a cucumber spear.

  • Croutons

    Top with Grammy’s garlic croutons (page 28).