Grandma Beki’s Gazpacho

September 14, 2011 · 1 comment

Guest Post by Rebecca Adamson via Dan Morrison

“This unusual gazpacho was an old time favorite from way back in the 60′s when I was a vegetarian. It comes from a 1970′s cookbook called The Vegetarian Epicure by the wonderful cook Anna Thomas. Unlike most traditional gazpacho recipes, this version is heated before it’s chilled – the eggs set slightly and make a much thicker soup. It is also blended not once but twice, and the extra two steps really make it worthwhile. I grate cheese on tortillas and toast them to serve with this soup. It makes a wonderfully delicious meal.” – Grandma Beki

1 small onion, chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 small green pepper, seeded and diced
3 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
3 eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of cayenne or a dash of hot sauce
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Watercress (optional), for serving
Croutons, for serving

Puree all the vegetables in a blender with the eggs, oil, vinegar and tomato juice. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches. Add all the remaining ingredients except the mayonnaise. Give the blender a quick pulse to incorporate.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat very slowly over medium heat, whisking constantly, no longer than 3 minutes. This step “cooks” the egg. Remove from heat and keep stirring occasionally while the soup cools. Add the mayonnaise, then transfer the soup back to the blender [see Alicia's note]. Blend one more time at high speed for just a few seconds, then transfer the soup into a big bowl. Cover and chill.
To serve, top each serving with watercress and croutons, if using.

Alicia’s Testing Tips
1. Being the completely lazy cook that I am, I failed to peel or seed the cucumber and tomatoes. I thought the result came out beautifully, but if you’d prefer less fiber and flecks of color, peel the vegetables before placing them in the blender.
2. If you are concerned about raw egg contamination (which I generally am not, but this is important for pregnant women and young children, as well as those with weak immune systems), be sure to wash the blender pitcher with hot soapy water between the first blending and the second. Since you are working with raw eggs, then warming the soup to essentially “cook” them, you will want to be sure the blender is rid of any bacteria from the raw eggs before this final step.
About the Guest Author
Rebecca Adamson, known as “Grandma Beki” to her grandsons, is the mother-in-law of Dan Morrison, featured in The Guest Kitchen. She experiences traditional foods and traditional farming techniques as she travels the globe working for an Indigenous Peoples organization, First Peoples Worldwide. Small grants going directly to Indigenous communities often go to support highly effective ancient agricultural technologies that any local farmer could use. Of course, small farming grants cannot be made without some pretty tasty dishes finding their way into her home and family dining tables! Next time, perhaps she will share a recipe for the traditional Native dish called “three sisters.” Stay tuned…

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time

Cooking time: 5 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Ruben Hagemann September 24, 2011 at 8:51 pm: That is one wild gazpacho recipe. I like that it adds some protein making this more of a meal than a side dish. I’m not too worried about the eggs – I’ve been licking batter since I was a kid with no ill effects.

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