Seasonal Pantry: Cold soups for summer

Contemporary gazpacho, a chilled soup of tomatoes and a selection of summer vegetables, is one of summer’s most refreshing delights. It cools us in hot weather and, at its best, is all but irresistible.

But most recipes, especially those you find online, almost always call for a blender or food processor, a technique that does not produce the best version.

It is admittedly easy and whenever I recommend dispensing with the electric appliances I feel like I am swimming upstream against a very strong current. Yet if you want to make the very best gazpacho, you ought to at least give a non-electric version a try.

The problem with puréeing the tomatoes or, in some cases, all the vegetables in a machine is that a great deal of air is introduced, which in turn creates an unpleasant foaminess. Without a machine, gazpacho has a more appealing texture, denser, with fuller flavors.

Gazpacho did not start out as the sort of liquid-y salad it is now. Centuries ago in the Andalusia region of Spain, gazpacho was made with garlic, leftover bread, water, vinegar and olive oil.

It was a peasant dish, developed as a way to use every last bread crumb and was, typically, served at room temperature. Other versions developed, some with white grapes and almonds added to the traditional ingredients, and eventually tomatoes found their way into the mix.

Today, we see fruit gazpacho, yogurt gazpacho, seafood gazpacho, gazpacho made with vegetables other than tomatoes and countless variations of tomato gazpacho.

The best tool for making a great gazpacho is a hand-cranked food mill, which reduces the tomatoes to a puree without introducing air. You can also use a large strainer and a sturdy wooden pestle or spoon; it takes a bit longer than using a food mill but the results are excellent.

The other problem I see with contemporary recipes is the way the tomatoes are peeled. Dropping tomatoes into a pot of boiling water, the most frequently recommended technique, dilutes the flavor and cooks between 1/8 and ¼ inch of the tomato’s outer flesh. You’re also using unnecessary water and the power it takes to heat it. A better way to peel a tomato is to spear it through its stem end on the tines of a fork and turn it over a high flame or hot burner. The skin will sear in just a few seconds and it is easy to pull off with your fingers. Ripe homegrown and many heirloom tomatoes can be peeled simply by pulling at the skin, a technique that does not work with commercial tomatoes as they have thick skins, necessary for shipping them great distances.

Once tomatoes are peeled, you’ll need to remove their seeds, best accomplished by cutting each tomato in half through its equator, not its poles. Set a strainer over a bowl, hold a tomato half, cut side down, over the strainer and squeeze out the seeds and gel, using a finger to coax out stubborn ones. Stir the seeds and gel so that the juices are released and discard the seeds. The tomatoes are then ready to be coarsely chopped and passed through a food mill set over a deep bowl and then stir in the juices from the gel. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it is quicker than setting up a food processor or blender and requires less cleanup.

As with almost anything we cook, gazpacho will be best when made with the very best ingredients, in this case backyard-quality tomatoes at their peak of flavor. For more gazpacho recipes from the Seasonal Pantry archives, visit “Eat This Now” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.

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You can change up this soup simply by omitting whatever vegetable is not at its peak and, also, by changing the color and variety of the tomatoes. Golden gazpacho is dazzling, as is green gazpacho when a variety of tomato that is green when ripe is available. You can also use sherry vinegar in place of red wine vinegar and lime juice instead of lemon juice. Serve with grilled hearth bread alongside or top with a handful of freshly made croutons.

Classic American Gazpacho

Serves 6 to 8

5-6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 serrano, seeded minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 lemon cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into small dice

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 firm-ripe avocado, peeled and diced

- Kosher salt

4 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or beef stock

- Juice of 1 lemon juice

2 tablespoons medium-acid red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

- Black pepper in a mill

- Best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the tomatoes, serrano, garlic, cucumber, onion and avocado in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt, cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the stock, lemon juice and vinegar and add the basil, parsley and cilantro. Taste, correct for salt and season with several turns of black pepper.

Chill the soup, covered, for at least 1 hour.

To serve, ladle into soups, drizzle with olive oil and enjoy right away.

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This soup is a great way to use large zucchini, as the high flesh-to-skin ratio creates a voluptuous, creamy texture.

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons olive oil

6-8 (about 2 pounds) medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced

1 small yellow or white onion, diced

8 garlic cloves, minced

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

6 cups homemade chicken broth, chicken stock or vegetable broth

1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8-10 large basil leaves, cut into very thin strips

- Grilled hearth bread, optional

Put the butter and olive oil into a medium or large saucepan set over medium heat and when the butter is melted, add the zucchini and sauté, turning 2 or 3 times, until it begins to pick up some color, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and several turns of black pepper and transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pan, reduce the heat and sauté gently until the onion is soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside about a quarter of the garlic, add the rest to the pan and sauté 2 minutes more.

Return the zucchini and any juices to the pan, add the broth or stock, increase the heat to medium and simmer until the zucchini is tender, from 3 to 6 minutes or a bit longer if using Romanesco zucchini.

Remove from the heat and let rest about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or pass through a food mill. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least three hours, until fully chilled.

Shortly before serving, put the tomatoes into a bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil and the shredded basil, season with salt and pepper and toss gently.

To serve, ladle into chilled soup plates, scatter tomatoes and their juices on top and enjoy right away, with or without hearth bread.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 24 books to date, including the new “Good Cook’s” series. Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.