White Cauliflower Gazpacho

Aaaand action! After a well deserved summer break, I’m finally back for more delicious recipes. Prepare yourself for many new culinary experiments over the coming year. Starting today actually, with this new twist on an old classic.

My love for gazpacho started back when I used to spend my summers in Spain. Growing up, we would go down to my grandparents’ beachhouse with all of my cousins. Those were the best days, when we would lounge by the pool or the sea, and play all kinds of games together. I remember long meals where the eight of us would sit around the kids table, and have conversations that were (obviously) much more interesting than our parents’. Our staple meals always included my grandmother’s homemade gazpacho, which was a true house favorite. She’d start preparing it bright and early, giving the soup just enough time to chill in the fridge before lunch. I would watch and try to help her with an “essential” step or two, like soaking the bread in ice cold water.

To this day, when I crave a good bowl of tomato gazpacho, I look back to my grandmother’s scribbled notes and attempt to recreate her original recipe. I say attempt because no matter how hard I try, it never tastes quite the same. Maybe it’s because I’m no longer tasting it in such an idyllic setting, or maybe I simply don’t have the magic touch she had. Whatever the reason, I can’t get it exactly right. This pushed me to create my own version of a gazpacho instead. One that wouldn’t need to be compared; one that would be different enough, but still based on my grandmother’s own technique.

I therefore replaced the tomatoes with cauliflower as the soup’s base. Cauliflower gives the gazpacho a silky texture, and a smooth taste. This soup’s flavor profile isn’t as sweet as its red counterpart, however it feels richer and with many layers. Paired with some thinly sliced prosciutto, it makes for a perfectly refreshing summer lunch. While I tend to stay relatively classic with the toppings (parsley, almonds and olive oil), one can get really creative! Just in case, I’ll leave you with one of the most delicious homemade options: crispy golden croutons with some flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bon appétit!

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Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: serves generously two as an appetizer

• 1/2 small cauliflower head
• 1/2 whole wheat pita
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 lemon, juice
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp tahini
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a good pinch of salt and black pepper
• sliced almonds (garnish)
• fresh parsley (garnish)

Directions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium pot.
2. Meanwhile, peel and dice the cucumber, and mince the garlic.
3. Tear the pita into pieces and  soak them in 1 cup of cold water.
4. Boil the cauliflower for 8-9 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, and place under cold running water to cool it down.
5. Then, return the cold cauliflower to the pot and add the cucumber, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, soaked pita and water. Mix it all with an immersion blender until the mix is homogenous. Add the tahini and mix again until creamy. Add more water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly chopped parsley, sliced almonds, and a drizzle of olive oil, or refrigerate up to overnight. Enjoy!

“Gazpacho Blanc de Chou-Fleur”

Temps Total: 20 minutes

Ingrédients: sert généreusement deux personnes en entrée

• 1/2 tête de chou-fleur
• 1/2 pita complète
• 1/2 concombre
• 1/2 citron, jus
• 1/2 gousse d’ail
• 250 ml d’eau froide
• 1 c.c de tahini
• 1/2 c.s de vinaigre de cidre
• une pincée de noix de muscade
• deux bonnes pincées de sel et de poivre
• des amandes effilées (garniture)
• du persil frais (garniture)

Étapes:

1. Faites bouillir de l’eau salée dans une casserole.
2. Pendant ce temps, pelez et coupez le concombre en cubes. Émincez l’ail finement.
3. Déchirez la pita en morceaux et recouvrez-les d’eau froide dans un bol.
4. Faites bouillir le chou-fleur pendant 8-9 minutes. Égouttez-le et passez-le sous l’eau froide du robinet jusqu’à ce qu’il refroidisse.
5. Puis, remettez le chou-fleur dans la casserole et ajoutez le concombre, l’ail, la noix de muscade, le vinaigre de cidre, le jus de citron, la pita avec l’eau, le sel et le poivre. Mixez le tout avec un mixeur plongeant jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit homogène.
6. Ajoutez alors le tahini et mixez pour bien l’incorporer. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser un peu plus d’eau pour affiner la soupe si besoin. Goutez et ajustez l’assaisonnement.
7. Servez immédiatement, garni avec du persil émincé, des amandes effilées et un filet d’huile d’olive, ou mettez au réfrigérateur pour la nuit. Bon appétit!

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