# Gazpacho for dinner



## lyndalou (Jul 1, 2012)

I'm wanting to invite a couple of friends over for dinner this week.   I thought a nice refreshing gazpacho would be welcome and something different. What would you serve with it? Any ideas?


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## vitauta (Jul 1, 2012)

gazpacho (an a/c alternative) doesn't need much of an accompaniment imo--a nice fresh salad and some fruit maybe?


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## GotGarlic (Jul 1, 2012)

I agree. A nice salad and grilled baguette slices would be great. My favorite summer crostini is grilled bread rubbed with cut garlic, spread with pesto, and topped with chopped tomatoes and a little grated Parmesan cheese.


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## lyndalou (Jul 1, 2012)

GotGarlic said:


> I agree. A nice salad and grilled baguette slices would be great. My favorite summer crostini is grilled bread rubbed with cut garlic, spread with pesto, and topped with chopped tomatoes and a little grated Parmesan cheese.



Okay! That's what it's going to be, i even have my homemade pesto in the ref. We'll have  fresh fruit for dessert. 

Many thanks to both of you.


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## Zhizara (Jul 1, 2012)

You can make it a one dish dinner by adding small cooked shrimp and chunks of avocado.


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## lyndalou (Jul 2, 2012)

Great idea, z.


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## Twixmixy (Jul 25, 2012)

*Gazpacho de Provence with garlic bread and cantaloupe wrapped in proscuitto*



lyndalou said:


> I'm wanting to invite a couple of friends over for dinner this week.   I thought a nice refreshing gazpacho would be welcome and something different. What would you serve with it? Any ideas?



We did Gazpacho for Tasty Tuesday yesterday. Here is the recipe and some pictures:

Gazpacho de Provence

Estimated 12-15 servings

Also known as Malagan Gazpacho, this no-cook "salad in a bowl" is ideal for hot weather.  Healthy, colorful, refreshing perfection.

Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe (local and organic!) (I used Roma) tomatoes peeled (seeded if you wish) and chopped
1 1/2 cups (local and organic!) (Spanish) onion chopped
4 cups (red) bell pepper chopped and seeded, any color works
6 cups cucumbers peeled and chopped
8 celery stalks, washed thoroughly and chopped
1 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the better quality oil you use, the better your dish)
2/3 cup white wine or sherry vinegar
3 cloves garlic chopped (can use more to taste)
2 slices country bread (crusts can be removed, but I opted to leave them on because the bread I used was fresh)
1 peeled, seeded and sliced lemon (or 1 cup of lemon juice)
1 teaspoon Salt - to taste
2 cups water - ice cold

Preparation:
If bread is a bit stale, soak in some water for a bit to soften, then squeeze dry; tear softened bread into large pieces.  Mix all ingredients together well, using hands or a large rubber spatula.  In two batches, puree the mix in blender, adding approximately 1 c. of the water to each batch.  Chill thoroughly, and serve VERY COLD!!

Traditional garnishes include finely chopped cucumber, onion, bell peppers, garlic croutons, and chopped hard-boiled egg.  Serve as condiments alongside the gazpacho; a large dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche atop each bowl of soup is also nice.

For the dairy free garnish I went with a minimalist Italian Parsley (leaves pulled off) for a nice touch of color.

Each (app 1 1/2 cup) serving contains an estimated:
Cals: 116, FatCals: 57, TotFat: 6g
SatFat: 0g, PolyFat: 1g, MonoFat: 5g
Chol: 0mg, Na: 97mg, K: 304mg
TotCarbs: 16g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 3g
NetCarbs: 14g, protein: 2g

We also made garlic bread and cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto. Of course, we also enjoyed some white wine, which paired really well, with it.






















I hope that gives you some inspiration!!


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## jennyema (Jul 25, 2012)

I LOOOOOVE gazpacho and am looking forward to my tomatoes ripening so that I can make it.  Am currently in a green tomato soup phase.

Because gazpacho is basically all veggies, I usually skip the salad and serve it with some sort of cheese bread, or grilled cheese grits or something savory and a bit heavier.


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