With the long, holiday weekend looming and the FIFA World Cup entering the quarter-finals on Friday, it’s a perfect opportunity to score a hat trick of futbol, food and fun.
As expected, Spain triumphed over its neighbor, Portugal, earlier this week. The Spaniards will try to head off Paraguay at the goal post at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. With the hot weekend looming, why not invite over some fellow soccer aficionados and serve them a refreshing gazpacho with a Cadiz-inspired seafood garnish? Heirloom tomatoes are scarce right now, but some of the farmers markets should have some early varieties, or just use some dead-ripe Roma tomatoes. I buy mine from Mike’s Truck Garden on Fulton Road in Santa Rosa.
This recipe comes from Southern California’s chef duo, Bernard Guillas and Ron Oliver of the Marine Room restaurant in La Jolla. The pair recently released their first cookbook, “Flying Pans – Two Chefs One World.”
Cadiz Summer Gazpacho with Pico Del Mar
Serves 6
For gazpacho:
3 cups diced ripened heirloom tomatoes
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock, chilled
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 hot chile pepper, seeded, chopped
1 cup peeled, seeded, finely diced cucumber
¼ cup minced scallions
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
¼ cup gin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Pica Del Mar:
12 large shrimp, cooked
½ cup lump crabmeat, shelled
1 lemon, zested, juiced
1 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For garnish:
6 sprigs basil
9 yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For gazpacho: Place tomatoes, onions, olive oil, vegetable stock, garlic, vinegar and chile pepper in blender. Pulse 15 seconds or until coarsely blended. Transfer to mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hours.
For Pico Del Mar: Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tail on. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Refrigerate until chilled.
To serve: Ladle gazpacho into chilled soup plate. Arrange shellfish in center. Garnish with basil and teardrop tomato halves. Drizzle with olive oil.
