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Flavors of Spain
Green Gazpacho from Axarquia in Malaga
Total time: 15 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cost: Very reasonable
Difficulty: Very easy
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| Chef's Note |
This is a kind of "pool" swimming with ingredients from the Andalusian countryside. If you're feeling bucolic, you can add some edible wild flower petals.
The herbs suggested can be used all at once or separately, depending on your taste. You could choose other herbs and create your own green blend.
Unlike other cold soups that develop more character after they sit for a few hours, this gazpacho must be served as soon as it is made so it stays crisp and refreshing.
Tradition
In modern variations, green vegetables such as lettuce, escarole and other wild plants like asparagus are added to provide an enticing touch of bitterness. These rustic vibrant green gazpachos survive in the mountains of Malaga province, overlooking the Mediterranean, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Their ingredients include campion, which grows abundantly under olive trees in springtime, brookweed (Samolus valerandi), smooth sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.), rocket (Eruca vesicaria cavanilles ssp), plants of the chicory family like dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber), skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller), among many others. All the plants for green gazpacho can be picked during walks in the country, just as shepherds and nomads would have done in ancient times.
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| Ingredients | - 6 bunches of herbs - choose from among cress, rocket (arugula), dandelions, fennel stalks, mint, etc.
- 1 head of crisp-leaved lettuce
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 100 ml (6 tbsp.) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- Sea salt
- Cold water
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| Method |
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Remove the roots and any wilted leaves from the herbs and wash them. Drain and julienne, then place in a large bowl.
- Take the tender leaves and heart from the lettuce. Wash and julienne them as well. Add to the bowl and combine well with the herbs to create a blend of flavors, textures and colors.
- Place the salt and garlic in a mortar. Crush to a smooth paste. Drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsion, then thin with the vinegar and a little cold water.
- When the mixture is clear, liquefy a bit more and then pour over the salad. Cover immediately with the rest of the cold water and serve immediately.
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In collaboration with Spain Goumetour and the Spanish Embassy's Tourism Office |
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