my gazpacho brings all the boys to the yard.

that's right, it's better than yours.

it's true; i talk a HUGE game about my gazpacho (a cold veggie soup in a tomato-based broth, for the uninitiated), but i think it's warranted. it got a great response at a dinner party i just had, and a bunch of people asked for the recipe, so i figured i would post it (and simultaneously re-start keeping this blog up to date!).

gazpacho
so, first, my two part gazpacho manifesto:
first: thou shalt not blend.
blending gazpacho is for the weak. if you take care with your broth, there's no need to blend.
second: thou shalt let your gazpacho rest.
the great thing about gazpacho, like chili, is that it gets better with some time to rest. it's convenient, too, because you can make a huge amount of it, in advance, and eat it for days.

the broth is easy, but like so many other recipes i post, it's a matter of taste. i don't make it the same way every time, so i've just put down the basic ingredients, with approximate measurements for this last batch. it'll be up to you to find a balance you like. just whisk together V8 (2 bottles), veggie broth (1/2 carton), olive oil (a few tablespoons), lemon juice (4 medium sized lemons), hot sauce (i used 1/2 bottle of green tabasco), salt, pepper, and cumin. re: the cumin, i think it gives the spiciness a nice bottom note, but then again, i once put cumin in biscotti, so i'm pretty much an outlier when it comes to cumin use.

chop into medium bits: carrots, tomatoes (take out the seeds and goo with your thumbs), cucumber (unpeeled), green pepper. cook some onions and a few cloves of garlic, until the onion's a bit soft. let the gazpacho chill in the fridgee for up to 24 hours.

oven roast some corn on the cob (husked) at about 375 or 400 (depending on your oven); slice off the kernels and mix them in just before serving. don't skimp with the veggies, there should be tons.

garnish with avocado, cilantro, more hot sauce, toasted sunflower seeds, sour cream or greek yogurt, or anything else you like.

thai shrimp soup of the gods

this one was a family collaborative effort from this weekend. my brother brought home the recipe, and my mom and uncle cooked it. i was cooking other things ( gingery brussel sprouts and spiced goat cheese wontons), so, er, i supervised.

the smell of this cooking is pretty near heaven. it's tangy and spicy and sweet in that way only SE asian food is...just. the. best.

the version made was probably lighter than the recipe below, since we used light coconut milk instead of regular. we also cooked it without any meat in it, to accommodate my brother and me. instead, we had shrimp and chicken cooked seperately, to be added in later. apparently, my brother and his friends made it at school with no meat but extra mushrooms, which is also yummy.

4 cups chicken stock
5 cloves garlic , peeled and cut into large chunks
2 inches fresh ginger , peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus additional 1/2 cup chopped for garnish
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (4- to 6-ounce) boneless chicken breast , cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeno , sliced into rings (optional)
1 small tomato , seeded and diced, for garnish
1/2 cup freshly shaved coconut or unsweetened coconut flakes , toasted, for garnish

In a large heavy-bottom pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain broth over a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Return broth to pot; add coconut milk, shallots, mushrooms and chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and jalapeño, if desired; stir until sugar is dissolved, then add mixture to soup. Garnish with tomato, coconut shavings and cilantro; serve hot.