81564516
Several months ago, while the weather was still cool, I wrote a column about the universal appeal of meatless Mondays. Chefs and home cooks set aside the beginning of the work week to prepare simple, tasty meatless meals.
It’s most welcome in our home. Our rules deviate a bit: I may serve fish and usually include eggs, cheese and butter.
While leafing through my cookbooks I came upon a recipe for Gazpacho in “Mediterranean Food, French Country Cooking and Summer Cooking,” a three-books-in- one volume written by Elizabeth David with an introduction by James Beard. I found this gem in a used bookstore many years ago. Her first book, “Mediterranean Food,” was published in 1950.
David, who died in 1992 at 78, is considered by many to be Britain’s finest cookery writer. She left England as a young woman and traveled to Greece, Italy, Spain and of course France where she lived for many years. She also kept a home in London.
According to Beard, who was a longtime friend of David, her magazine articles and first book introduced the British to somewhat exotic dishes filled with Mediterranean sunshine at a time when Britain was still recovering from the gray, post-World War II days of austerity.
Her recipe for Gazpacho in “Summer Cooking,” intrigued me. There are many recipes for this cool Spanish soup and I could not wait to try it.
Seek out David’s marvelous books in used bookstores or online. I am not sure whether her books are still in print. She has a glorious, sensuous way with her pen and the results are also glorious and sensuous, indeed.
We begin our summer meatless Monday with her recipe for Gazpacho. We continue on with my favorite summer pasta, Hot Spaghetti with Raw Tomato Sauce from “Food for Friends” by Barbara Kafka and finish with Summer Salad.
Gazpacho
Ingredients:
1 pound of red ripe tomatoes, chopped to a puree in the food processor
2 Israeli cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 scallions, sliced
12 pitted black olives, such as Gaeta, sliced
1 small green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Small handful of chopped fresh basil, mint or parsley
1/2 cup of ice water
About 12 small cubes of toasted bread
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients except the ice water, bread cubes and eggs in a large bowl. Blend well. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. You can prepare the recipe up to this point and chill overnight.
When ready to serve, add the ice water and blend well.
Divide the Gazpacho among four cold soup bowls. Place some of the crushed ice in each bowl, add the bread cubes and eggs and serve.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: You can use V-8 Juice in place of the water and substitute red, yellow or orange pepper as well.
Hot Spaghetti with Raw Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
6 large ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
7 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 pound of spaghetti
1/3 cup plus an additional 1/2 cup of olive oil
1-1/2 cups of red onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of firmly packed chopped basil
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place the tomatoes in a non-aluminum bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the salt over them and let sit for 30 minutes.
Add 4 tablespoons of the salt to boiling water, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Do not overcook. Add 1/3 cup of the oil to the pot with the pasta, drain in a colander and shake to remove all of the excess water. Place in a serving bowl.
As the pasta cooks, drain the tomatoes and add the onions, basil, lemon juice, the 1/2 cup of oil and remaining salt and pepper. Push the hot pasta to the sides of the bowl and pour the cold sauce into the center.
Serves eight as a first course, four as a main course.
Summer Salad
Ingredients:
1 large head of romaine, torn into pieces
1 large head of Boston lettuce, torn into pieces
8 ounces of roasted red peppers, cut into strips
8 ounces of marinated artichokes, cut into pieces
Sprinkling of tiny capers, rinsed
1 small handful of pitted olives of choice, sliced
8 ounces of feta, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons of unsweetened rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place all of the salad ingredients into a large serving bowl. Toss well. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the salad. Season with the salt and pepper.
Serves four.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
81564526
81564506
