gazpacho two ways: traditional red (from jose andres) and green (from bon appetite)


For months my husband and I planned to tear up half of the cement driveway that sits to the left of our house. We had 10 feet of concrete slab that was a total waste of space and didn't make sense to maintain since we have one car (and hope to keep it that way) and a scooter. We thought the space should be turned into our family garden.

 After dragging our feet for most of the spring and early summer, Matt finally rented a jack-hammer. It took only (!) seven hours of drilling in the sun, in temperature that exceeded 100 degrees, to get the job done. We removed the concrete and assembled the elevated garden beds. Then we tilled the hard clay, added bags and bags of soil, and got to planting. We're growing basil, jalapeños, Corsican mint, Kentucky Colonel mint (hello mint juleps! and mojitos!), heirloom tomatoes, kale, marigolds, milk weed, jupiter's beard and a host of other bee-welcoming and butterfly-attracting plants. 

In just under 5 weeks we have started to reap the benefits of our hard work. Otis is in charge of watering the plants every morning and every evening. Theodore, being slightly less helpful than his older brother, usually takes the garden spade and swings it in the direction of the tomatoes until something falls off the vine (hopefully he outgrows this soon). There is an enormous satisfaction in knowing that we are greening the land, and our garden serves as our proudest DIY-it to date. We've come a long way since I tried to grow a strawberry plant on our fire escape in Brooklyn. I lovingly watered that silly plant and placed it in the sun, but the result of all my effort was a pitiful yield - a single and sad looking berry that didn't even taste good. 

But times have changed and this garden is a total thrill. It's thriving and it's growing. I can't tell you how amazing it felt to pick some of the gazpacho ingredients  from our little plot of Earth....
Patricia's Gazpacho 
(Courtsey of Jose Andres via Food + Wine. With thanks to the Truffle Table  in Denver for suggesting this recipe.)

Ingredients
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (about 10), cut into chunks
8 ounces cucumber (1 cucumber), peeled and cut into chunks
3 ounces green pepper, in large pieces
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Garnish
1 tablespoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice rustic white bread
6 plum tomatoes, with the seeds, prepared as "fillets"
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into cubes
4 pearl onions, pulled apart into segments
2 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Sea salt
4 chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

  • In a blender, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic and sherry vinegar and blend until the mixture becomes a thick liquid. Taste for acidity; this will vary with the sweetness of the tomatoes. If it's not balanced enough, add a little more vinegar. Add the olive oil, season with salt, and blend again. Strain the gazpacho into a pitcher and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
  • In a small pan, heat the olive oil over moderately high heat and fry the bread until golden, about 2 minutes. Break into small pieces to form croutons and set aside.
  • To serve pour gazpacho into each of 4 bowls. Place 4 croutons, 2 "fillets" of tomatoes with seeds, 4 cherry tomato halves, 3 cucumber cubes and 3 onion segments into each bowl. Add a few drops of olive oil to each onion segment and drizzle a little more around each bowl. Add a few drops of vinegar to each cucumber cube and drizzle a little more around each bowl. Sprinkle sea salt on the tomatoes and sprinkle the chives over the soup. Serve when the gazpacho is refreshingly chilled.
NOTES: 
José's tips: If you want to be original, buy yellow or even green tomatoes. Also, if you want to save time, you can simplify the garnishes: Just use a few cubes of cucumber, tomato and green pepper.
* * *

 I've been on such a gazpacho kick recently that I just had to try this green gazpacho recipe from July’s Bon Appetit magazine. It’s completely different from the traditional red gazapacho, but equally delicious. If you don’t want the soup hot (taste-wise, not temperature-wise) you can reduce the amount of jalapeño or increase the amount of yogurt. But personally, I love a soup with kick!
Green Gazpacho (Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine)
Ingredients
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1½ cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt, divided
½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 oz. ciabatta or country-style bread, crust removed, bread torn into 1” pieces (about 2½ cups) 
1 medium English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, cut into large pieces
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
4 large tomatillos (about 12 oz.), husked, quartered
4 scallions, cut into 1” pieces
2 jalapeños, seeds removed, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
Piment d’Espelette or Hungarian hot paprika (for serving)

Preparation
  • Whisk vinegar, lime juice, 1 cup yogurt, and ½ cup oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add bread, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatillos, scallions, jalapeños, garlic, and ¾ tsp. salt and toss to coat (make sure bread is well coated so it can soak up as much flavor as possible). Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
  • Working in batches, purée bread and vegetable mixture in a blender until very smooth; transfer to a large bowl and season gazpacho with salt.
  • Whisk remaining ½ cup yogurt in a small bowl, thinning with water a tablespoonful at a time, until the consistency of heavy cream; season with salt.
  • Serve soup in chilled bowls. Drizzle with thinned yogurt and more oil and sprinkle with piment d’Espelette.
DO AHEAD: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Mix well before serving.

spring time in denver's congress park (with asparagus-dill bisque)



It's been almost three months since we bought our home in the Congress Park neighborhood of Denver. Our house is historic; it was built the year Grover Cleveland was President and 4 years before the Spanish-American War- so it's old. At first we were nervous about things going wrong and being responsible for repairs- all of which I think is perfectly normal for home buyers of historic homes. But I've got to tell you, now that we’re settling into things, this house just feels right. I love the character, the details and the charm. We've also been working hard at making the space feel homey, which is a bit of a challenge considering the size. But we purchased a few good pieces of furniture and I scooped up some terrific finds at a vintage shop on the outskirts of town. I've also been diligently  scouring the antique/used stores on Colfax too. Slowly our pictures are getting framed and we've begun to hang mirrors and artwork on the walls. In short, the house is beginning to have our imprint. And that feels great... 


One of the things that I love about our neighborhood is its walkability factor. My husband and I own one car, so when he drives to work (usually 1 or 2 days a week) I've still got plenty to do. I can walk to Congress Park (which has a great public pool in the summer), and City Park (which has awesome free Jazz concerts in the summer), and the Botanic Gardens too. If my kids are well-behaved, I can also walk to the Museum of Nature & Science and the Zoo. 

The Shoppe (cupcakes) on Colfax


There are tons of great places to eat close by-- cupcake shops, taco shops, speciality bakeries, Ethiopian food, sushi, Greek restaurants, music venues, wine bars, the Tattered Cover bookstore, an independent movie theater, bistro-style cafes, a bicycle shop that carries Dutch cruisers, a few independent coffee shops, a yarn store, and the a weekly farmers market on Sunday (etc. etc.). In other words, there's a lot going on.
I've met a lot of my neighbors and our kids all play together outside. And in addition to the families in our neighborhood, there are also lots of artists, chefs, designers, musicians and gardeners. It's really a great mix of everything...that's why we like it so much. I'm happy to say, that after a long and winding road to home ownership and stability, Congress Park feels like home...


The architectural mix includes (primarily) 1890s-early 1900s Denver Squares, turn of the century Victorians, and early craftsman (American bungalows). There are some deco buildings from the 1920s and 30s as well, and a few row houses are scattered throughout the neighborhood too. But unlike this Denver neighborhood, there aren't many modern structures in our part of town. Congress Park also has some pretty spectacular mansions as you head toward 8th Avenue and over into Country Club. And this (below) former fire station has since been converted into a family home. It's awesome!









Pinche Taco, amazing happy hour and...tacos. (Colfax)


East High School, built in 1921


Fat Sully's, Atomic Cowboy and the Denver Biscuit Company, all under one roof on Colfax. 

Glaze's Mini Baum Cakes: layers of lemon cake with limoncello glaze  and strawberry mousse. Their baum bites with green tea and white chocolate is also amazing. Congress Park, Madison off 12th Avenue.

* * *

And a spring time soup...
Asaparagus Bisque with Fresh Dill (Courtesy of Anna Thomas, Love Soup)
Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs. green asparagus
2 medium leeks
1 large fennel bulb
zest+juice of a lemon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (you could substitute with olive oil)
3 tablespoons arborio rice 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
2 1/2 cups light vegetable broth
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus more to taste
white pepper (I used black)
cayenne
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, thinly peel the bottom 2 or 3 inches of the asparagus stalks, then snap off the toughest bits at the bottoms (peeling the bottoms first allows you to keep much more of the stalk.) Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces; you should have about 4 cups.
Wash the leeks and chop the white and light green parts only. Trim, wash, and chop the fennel bulb. Grate the zest of the lemon, making sure to get only the yellow and none of the white pith.
Melt the butter in a large skillet or soup pot and cook the leeks over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are soft and begin to take on a hint of color. Add the asparagus, fennel, lemon zest, rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for about half an hour, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, the dill, and a pinch of each pepper and cayenne.
Puree the soup in a blender, in batches, until it is perfectly smooth. (I usually use an immersion blender for pureed soups, but asparagus is fibrous, so you might want to use that blender in order to get it really smooth.) Add broth if the soup seems too thick. Return the pureed soup to a clean pot and stir in a couple of teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, more if you like. Bring the soup back to a simmer, taste it ,and season with tiny amounts of pepper, and more salt if needed. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of cream if you are making the asparagus a bisque (or more precisely a "cream soup" as traditionally bisque refers to smooth, cream soups, based on a broth from crustaceans).
Ladle and enjoy!

Squash It! Ollin Farm and Lots of Seasonal (Squash) Fare

Producing real food is very hard work. And producing food on a scale that is larger than what you can get from a small garden in your backyard, well, that is a tremendous undertaking. 
Now I've never personally worked on a farm, but I did try to grow strawberries on my fire escape in Brooklyn one time...and let me tell you, it did not go well. I watered that strawberry plant and I made sure the soil had nutrients. I loved that plant and I gave her my all. In return for my efforts, my plant produced ONE pitiful looking strawberry. I had been dreaming of strawberry salads and fresh fruit smoothies. I don't know what I was thinking. That summer my dill and basil didn't fare much better. And that marked the end of my urban growing experience.
A bit of of time passed, and I found a new confidence. I'd done some reading, dog-eared some pages of Martha Stewart Living, and followed a handful of gardening blogs religiously. I planted two tomato plants, basil, cilantro, rosemary, mint and Italian parsley. 
My expectations were modest. 
It's been a few months since my initial planting. The tomato plants are growing, by there's nary a tomato in sight. The basil looks depressed and the cilantro is dead. The good news is my mint, rosemary and parsley are thriving. But it's not exactly what I would call season's bounty. I never even got to planting vegetables like spinach, chard, or squash. Farmers, you have my respect! 
Farming is seriously hard work. I found out all about it when I went to the Ollin Farm for their Squash Festival last weekend. The farm is in Longmont, Colorardo-- not too far from Boulder. It's in a really beautiful part of the country. (I first heard of the farm through this post on Boulder Locavore.)
Ollin Farm seems like a product of love. It is run by a husband-and-wife team, along with their children (and I believe a few other family members and some workers too). Kena is originally from Mexico City and her husband Mark is from Colorado. While they didn't have backgrounds in agriculture or farming, 5 years of hard work and lots of education have paid off- they have one of the nicest farms I've been to.
There was so much gorgeous looking produce at the festival. There were heirloom squashes, Ronde de Nice, Pattypans, zucchinis, summer squashes, herbs, beets and greens. Back to Basics Kitchen had a demonstration table that was full of delicious dishes-- all containing the ingredient of the day, squash! 
Thank you Ollin Farm for a great day. You've inspired me to try my hand (again) at small-time farming next summer...
{Recipes follow.} 
I don't know why I always refer to sheep as female. At any rate, this is Victor....
The Back to Basics Kitchen demonstration table. The Pesto Zucchini Noodles were delicious. They gave out recipe cards, but I misplaced mine. Sad face. 
Unfortunately for me, the visit to the chicken coop coincided with Otis's nap time and a slight meltdown ensued. He was positively certain that the chickens wanted to "eat him up." And there was crying. I tried to comfort him, but things started to go downhill...with a quickness! Theo, oblivious to the meltdown, was desperately trying to chase the poultry. 
These eggs were plucked right out of the hen house. It got me thinking...if we stay in Colorado, should we get chickens? I'm not sure what Omar (our elderly Rott) would think of that situation- it's chaotic enough around our parts. I'm not sure my husband would be on board either...but maybe?! 
Water drip technology is an efficient way to irrigate the crops. 
I picked up some deliciously amazing squash. Thank you Ollin Farm for a great day. 
See you for the Tomato Festival!
* * *
Zucchini and Potato Soup (Courtesy of Anna Thomas's Love Soup)
{In contrast to the soups I usually make, which have a very intense flavor, this soup is relatively mild -- but it is creamy (though creamless) and satisfying. You really need to adjust the salt and pepper here. That is key. Add a drizzle of olive oil and some crumbled feta before serving. Wanna really jazz it up? Add some sauteed zucchini blossoms. Next time I may add a pinch of cayenne or paprika.}
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 1/4 lbs. zucchini
2 large yellow onions
7 oz. Yukon Gold Potato
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
3 1/2 cups basic light vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/4 chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Optional Garnishes: fruity green olive oil, crumbled feta or queso fresco, sauteed zucchini blossoms
Preparation
Wash and trim the zucchini, halve them lengthwise if they are thick, and slice them or cut them into 1-inch dice. Peel and coarsely chop the onions. Scrub and finely dice the potatoes.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté the onions over medium heat, stirring often, until they are soft and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 2 cups of water, the vegetable broth, the potatoes, and a teaspoon of salt in a large soup pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add the zucchini and simmer another 10 minutes.
When the onions are ready, add them to the soup pot, along with the chopped basil and parsley. Grind in an ample amount of black pepper and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Taste, and add a pinch more salt or a little more lemon juice if needed.
The soup can be pureed, either in a blender or with an immersion blender. Be careful not to over process, as potatoes tend to become gummy when over-worked. Whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add some crumbled feta or queso fresco. Maybe some pan-fried zucchini blossoms? Enjoy! 

 Other seasonal, squash recipes that I've posted:
Gina DePalma's Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze.
Elise of Simply Recipes' Mücver Patties
Love & Olive Oil's Zucchini Basil Soup (from Epicurious)

Recipes from the blogosphere that I'm making this week:
Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Enchiladas from Sprouted Kitchen
Pattypan Squash Stuffed with Corn from Martha Rose Shulman, The New York Times
Stuffed Ronde de Nice from Megan Bucholz for Edible Front Range
Pan-fried Zucchini Blossoms with Ricotta and Garden Herbs from Food & Style

Asparagus Bisque with Fresh Dill (and some Black and Whites)

After a long winter break, the farmers markets were (finally) slated to reopen. But hail and rain were in the forecast and just as I stepped out the door it started raining...hard. The prospect of going to the market on the other side of town, with a toddler and infant in tow (sans the protection of our trusty umbrella which somehow disappeared), just didn't seem worth it. 
So I decided to go to In Season, our local market that only stocks locally grown produce that is...in season. "We are at the end of asparagus season here in Colorado," I was told by an incredibly knowledgeable woman at the counter. "Right, of course you are," I said. No asparagus. But I really wanted to make this bisque that I had seen in Love Soup by Anna Thomas.. 
While I try to purchase local, sustainable, seasonal fare as much as possible (it tastes better and is often cheaper), if I'm craving something that is not exactly in season, it's no big deal. I found some really bright, delicious looking asparagus at the Sunflower Market by my house (grown in California), but before I left In Season I picked up some dill, fennel bulb and the most amazing (makes you want to clap your hands) ricotta cheese made by Laz Ewe 2 Bar Goat Dairy in Del Norte, Colorado. Oh man, that is the good stuff!
About the bisque. It is packed with fresh dill and the lemon juice gives it a nice cut of acid. And, like all of Anna's recipes I've made before, it was delicious. (Anna's Old Fashioned Mushroom Soup.)
I topped a toasted crostini with some goat cheese and served it along side a big bowl of bisque. That really made the meal complete. 
Asaparagus Bisque with Fresh Dill (Courtesy of Anna Thomas, Love Soup)
Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs. green asparagus
2 medium leeks
1 large fennel bulb
zest+juice of a lemon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (you could substitute with olive oil)
3 tablespoons arborio rice 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
2 1/2 cups light vegetable broth
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus more to taste
white pepper (I used black)
cayenne
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, thinly peel the bottom 2 or 3 inches of the asparagus stalks, then snap off the toughest bits at the bottoms (peeling the bottoms first allows you to keep much more of the stalk.) Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces; you should have about 4 cups.
Wash the leeks and chop the white and light green parts only. Trim, wash, and chop the fennel bulb. Grate the zest of the lemon, making sure to get only the yellow and none of the white pith.
Melt the butter in a large skillet or soup pot and cook the leeks over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are soft and begin to take on a hint of color. Add the asparagus, fennel, lemon zest, rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for about half an hour, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, the dill, and a pinch of each pepper and cayenne.
Puree the soup in a blender, in batches, until it is perfectly smooth. (I usually use an immersion blender for pureed soups, but asparagus is fibrous, so you might want to use that blender in order to get it really smooth.) Add broth if the soup seems too thick. Return the pureed soup to a clean pot and stir in a couple of teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, more if you like. Bring the soup back to a simmer, taste it ,and season with tiny amounts of pepper, and more salt if needed. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of cream if you are making the asparagus a bisque (or more precisely a "cream soup" as traditionally bisque refers to smooth, cream soups, based on a broth from crustaceans).
Ladle and enjoy!
* * *
As I mentioned, we had a rainy Saturday here in Denver, so it was a good excuse for us to stay indoors. While we weren't able to go to the farmers market, we tidied up our little abode and we also did a lot of cooking...
Roasted Potato, Leek and Kale Soup (by way of Not-Eating-Out-In-New-York)
Spinach and Feta Risotto (by way of Ezra Pound Cake)
Zucchini Olive-Oil Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze (posted here on Sparrows & Spatulas)
Beet and Tahini Dip (by way of A Lovely Morning)

Sensing that the boys were restless and could use some physical activity, I opted to let them "up-down-up-down" on our bed. Then I took these black and white photos with my 50mm lens, which I'm still fooling around with.
It wasn't long before the rain stopped and the sun was out again. The next 10 days? Sunny with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. And hopefully a lot of farmers markets in our future...
Not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon.

ladle out some love: old fashioned cream of mushroom soup


Around this time of year I go nuts for soups and I was feeling something with mushroom in it. This recipe for Old Fashioned Cream of Mushroom Soup comes from Anna Thomas's 'Love Soup' - a 2010 James Beard Foundation Cookbook winner. It's the first recipe I've made from Thomas's book and I'm so glad I started with it. (I only have 159 more to go!)  

Now don't let the 'cream' part scare you or have you running to the treadmill- there are only 3 tablespoons in the whole pot.  The soup has  great texture, awesome flavor and some really nice heat, thanks to the paprika. I followed the recipe as written, but added a healthy dose of thyme to the mushrooms while they were sautéing. That's just because I love thyme, but follow your preference here. 

I picked up some bread from the Denver Bread Company, ladled myself a big bowl of soup and presto, and dinner was served.  This is a great winter dish.

Old Fashioned Cream of Mushroom Soup
(Courtesy of Anna Thomas, Love Soup)
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds portobello, cremini, or brown button mushrooms

2 medium yellow onions

4 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh or dried thyme

2-3 tablespoons dry sherry or dry Marsala

6-7 cups any basic vegetable broth or 5 cups canned vegetable broth diluted with 2 cups water

2 1/2 tablespoons Arborio rice

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

3 tablespoons half-and-half or light cream

1/3 cup chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

Sour cream or crème fraiche for garnish (optional)



Method:

Clean and coarsely chop the mushrooms. Chop the onions; you should have about 3 cups. Mince the garlic and chop the celery to get about 3/4 cup.



In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt, and cook over gentle heat, stirring now and then, until the onions are soft and golden, about 20 minutes.



Meanwhile, in a second skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil with the butter and sauté the garlic in it over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper and thyme to taste. Raise the heat to high and sauté the mushrooms, stirring often, until they give up their liquid, sizzle, and begin to turn darker brown, 7 or 8 minutes. Add a splash of sherry or Marsala and stir as it cooks away.



While the mushrooms and onions are sautéing, put the broth, rice, and celery into a soup pot and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. (Remember, if you are using canned broth you should dilute it, about 2 parts broth to 1 part water, or it will be too salty.) When the mushrooms and onions are ready, add them to the pot along with the paprika and keep simmering, covered, for another 15 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the half-and-half and the fresh dill or parsley. Taste, and correct the seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed.

You can serve the soup as it is-- but another way to prepare the soup (and the way I made it) is to purée the soup to a semi-rough stage.  Add half the fresh dill or parsley to the soup with the half-and-half, then purée it with an immersion blender, using brief pulses, or a regular blender working in batches, until it is somewhere between smooth and chunky. Then sprinkle the remaining herbs on top of the soup and serve it.
If you like, drop a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraiche on each serving.