The Garden & Saucier
Easy Classic Gazpacho
The Strategy:
Welcoming loved ones around a generous table starts with letting the fresh aromas of Easy Classic Gazpacho fill the home, allowing the crisp, raw elements and fresh ingredients to develop bright flavors, which turns kitchen preparation into a shared pleasure and a welcoming ritual. Chilling the assembled dish allows the flavors to mature and meld together, while cooling the fats to create a crisp, refreshing mouthfeel. The resulting centerpiece is a stunning, cool invitation for a party of eight, blending quiet luxury with the nostalgic pleasure of sharing a beautifully prepared treat.
Perfect for a summer picnic, this soup is spicy, fragrant and simple to blend together. Pack up a couple margarita or juice glasses in your picnic basket and pour the soup into them when you get to the table.
Easy Classic Gazpacho
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber, roughly chopped, about 4 cups
- 2 large red bell peppers, roughly chopped, seeded, veins removed, about 3 cups
- 1 small red onion, peeled and roughly chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 cups tomato juice
- 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 medium lime, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 3 or more drops hot pepper sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- 1 (3-pound) beef brisket
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweet pick relish
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 8 large burger buns, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 8 (1-ounce) American cheese slices
- 2 large tomatoes, cored and sliced
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
- Dill pickle chips
- 4 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 1 cup canola oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese, about 1 cup
- 4 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese, about 1 cup
- ½ cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
- 1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained
- 2 to 3 green onions, sliced, about 2 tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 slider rolls, sliced open horizontally and warmed
- Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Sliced dill pickles
Instructions
- Place the cucumbers, bell peppers, onion and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop the veggies.
- The veggies should have a coarse, slushy texture. Pour the veggies into a large bowl.
- Stir in the tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper and as much hot pepper sauce as you like. Stir in the fresh cilantro.
- Chill the soup for a least a couple of hours or up to several days. The flavors become more intense the longer they stay in the fridge. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and an extra squeeze of lime.
- Couch Potato Fan Food Sunday Best Burger Bring your weekend warriors to the peace table with a grilled burger that scores a TD every time. The secret is a simple, yet flavorful patty that comes from grinding beef brisket. The special sauce elevates the flavor of the burger along with lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and perhaps a sesame seed bun!
- Burgers Place the shaft, blade and knife of a food grinder (or food grinder attachment) into the freezer to chill. Cut the brisket into 1-inch pieces. Lay the pieces onto a baking tray with lip and place into the freezer until the meat is firm, but not frozen, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the freezer and toss with olive oil. Assemble the meat grinder attachment. Push through 2 to 3 pieces of meat at a time into a bowl. After all of the meat has been through the machine, grind it all a second time.
- Season the meat with Worcestershire and garlic. Form into 8 or more patties. Refrigerate until you are ready to grill. Just before grilling, season the burgers with salt and pepper.
- Burger Sauce Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Buns & Toppers Heat a grill over medium high heat. Grill the burgers on one side for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side, until desired degree of doneness, about 4 to 5 minutes more for medium rare. Place a slice of cheese onto each burger.
- Brush the buns with melted butter and lay onto the grill. Toast for 30 to 45 seconds. Place the buns onto a platter. Lay the burgers into the buns. Slather with special sauce and offer your favorite toppers, like those suggested above.
- Baby, if you want a bite-size burger, you've come to the right recipe. Use sharp cheddar and do NOT forget the pickles. There' s no secret sauce going on here – this burger is simple, straight forward and just for you.
- The recipe makes enough pimento cheese to entertain your game-watching pals twice in one week!
- Crispy Shallots Heat the canola oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Add the shallots and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the shallots until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon to a dish layered with paper towels. The onions will become crispy as they sit. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm in a warming drawer or in the oven on low heat.
- Pimento Cheese Place the cream cheese, cheeses, and mayonnaise into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is creamy. Add the pimentos, onions and spices and season with salt and pepper. Pulse 3 to 5 times more. You will have more cheese than you need for the burgers. Store in an airtight container to serve on warmed Saltine crackers later in the week.
- Turkey Burger Place the ground turkey into a large bowl. Add olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Add garlic powder. Use your hands to combine and form into 6 patties. Season the patties with salt and pepper.
- Coat a grill pan with vegetable oil spray and heat on medium high. Place the burgers onto the grill pan and sear on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers and cook until seared on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Top each burger with a slathering of pimento cheese.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, so that the cheese begins to melt over the burgers. If the burgers are done and the cheese has not melted, remove the pan from the heat and tent with aluminum foil for 2 minutes.
- To assemble, place the warmed slider rolls onto a platter. Open the rolls and place a burger patty with the melted cheese onto the bottom half of the roll. Cover the burger with crispy onions. Layer the top half of the roll with slices of tomato and dill pickle. Put the two halves together and dig in!
Gotta Have Gadgets
My Grammy made her famous chopped liver using a hand held meat grinder. It worked perfectly!
Today, the best tool for grinding meats is a food grinder attachment for your mixer. You can also find a freestanding electric grinder. In a pinch, simply ask your butcher to grind your brisket for you. I bet he says yes!
Really Good Turkey Burger Sliders with Crispy Shallots and Pimento Cheese
The Heart of the Table
The comforting, savory aroma of roasted garlic and fresh herbs evokes a sense of shared abundance, drawing everyone close to enjoy this easy classic gazpacho. Passing this generous, cool platter around the table turns our dinner into a lively symphony of stories.
The Art of the Host
- a heavy-gauge, polished stainless steel ladle with an ergonomic handle
- a fine-blade microplane zester with an ergonomic soft-grip handle
- a hand-carved, long-handled cherrywood stirring spoon
- a flexible stainless steel slotted turner with a walnut handle
- a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum lemon squeezer with an enamel finish
- a large, hand-thrown ceramic serving platter with an organic rim
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Display the vibrant creation in a hand-turned, wide-rimmed salad bowl crafted from solid cherrywood, elevated on a low wooden stand. Toss the fresh components gently tableside using polished olivewood tongs, allowing the light dressing to catch the dining room's warm glow. Set the bowl on a table runner of natural linen, flanked by chilled, hand-glazed ceramic salad plates in a soft sage shade. A simple glass carafe of infused water nearby adds a clean, refreshing element to the tabletop setup.
- THE POUR: To complement the natural, earthy sweetness of the Easy Classic Gazpacho, we suggest a dry Grüner Veltliner or a light, dry Rosé. These wines present notes of herbaceous green pepper, white peach, and stony minerality that frame the earthy profiles of the vegetables and broth. Serve chilled at 45°F in a slender white wine glass. For a premium non-alcoholic alternative, offer a chilled infusion of chamomile, mint, and white grape juice, served at 42°F in a tulip glass. Its floral, soothing, and subtly sweet character lifts the earthy vegetable notes with refined elegance.
- THE VIBE: Set the mood by dimming the dining room lights to a warm, candlelit glow, letting the flickering flames from beeswax tapers cast soft shadows across the table. In the background, curate a playlist featuring the acoustic warmth of Norah Jones, the nostalgic piano melodies of Vince Guaraldi, and the soft jazz rhythms of Stan Getz, kept at a volume that encourages intimate conversations and gentle laughter. The physical atmosphere is enriched by the scent of cinnamon-honey steam and the natural woodsy aroma of the fireplace. With a party of eight snugly gathered around the table, the space feels like a sanctuary of comfort and welcoming grace.