petra's first cooking blog

I've clearly got the blogging bug now. After petraruns.blogspot.com, which, to be fair, does not have a wide readership, i've decided to add a cooking section which may expand my audience. Sadly, I know I will still be disappointing my friend Stephen who feels that I need to add a naked picture section to my site. I think that side of the market had been cornered by others, my dear..

So onto a recipe of the week. And I'll start with one which I haven't cooked yet but have tested and which I am wild about. I am no fan of gazpacho - the whole chilled soup thing has never been my thing - but Susie Strange, a good friend, excellent cook and book club member cooked this up for us last week and it is sensational. It comes by way of her mother, from South Africa, and so we thank Rosalie Crutchley for making it all possible. Enough chit chat - now cook it!

GAZPACHO AL VINAIGRE DE JEREZ AL ESTILO DE ZALACAIN - serves 8

1.5 kg ripe tomatoes
200 g onions
1 green pepper, 1 red pepper
400 g cucumber
1 small garlic clove
200 g crustless bread
2 tablespooms sherry vinegar
350 ml olive oil
350 ml cold water
15 g. salt
60 ml mayonnaise
salt and freshly ground paper

1. Blanch and deseed the tomatoes, add the onions and put them all in a very large bowl. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers and add them to the bowl.
2. Skin the cucumber, slice in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard. Chop and add to the bowl. Chop the garlic finely, the bread more coarsely and all these ingredients to the bowl.
3. Finally, add the sherry vinegar, the olive oil, pepper and salt and leave this mixture to macerate for 12 hours.

To complete puree the whole mixture in a blender or food processor and add the mayonnaise. Press through a sieve to give a smooth texture and remove pips. Check the seasonings and chill thoroughly. Serve the soup cold and offer some of the following garnishes - chilled - on the side: bread cubes (possibly fried), chopped onion, green pepper, tomato flesh and seeded cucumber.

Enjoy!