once upon a chef
Keep a pitcher of this cool golden gazpacho in the fridge for lunches on hot days. The recipe is adapted from Oleana chef Ana Sortun’s inspiring cookbook, Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. With its silky texture and pure tomato flavor highlighted by a touch of curry powder and turmeric, it’s the perfect example of Sortun’s use of spices to create rich Mediterranean flavors.
– 6 cups yellow cherry tomatoes (you'll need about 3 pints) – ½ cup fresh bread crumbs or panko – 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar – 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – ¼ teaspoon turmeric – ¼ teaspoon curry powder – 2½ teaspoons salt – 1 cup cold water – 6 chives, finely minced – 1 red bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed and minced – Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To begin, combine the tomatoes, bread crumbs, white wine vinegar, olive oil, water, spices and salt in a blender.
Process until smooth. Pour the soup through a sieve to strain out any bits of seeds and skin. This process goes much faster if you pour a little soup in the strainer at a time and use a ladle to push the soup through in a circular motion.
Chill the soup, then ladle into bowls and served cold topped with fresh veggies and herbs.