Summertime Starter: Tomato Gazpacho

A cold soup like this is the perfect remedy for a sweltering hot day! Everyone should have a good gazpacho soup recipe in their repertoire, and this one is a classic. It makes a fabulous starter or a mid-afternoon snack when the temperatures rise. If you have tomatoes growing in your garden, this is one of the best ways to make good use of them! So go out, grab some veggies, and get ready to cool down...

Simple Tomato Gazpacho

(makes 8-10 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and large dice
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and large dice
• 1 medium English cucumber, large dice
• 1/2 medium red onion, large dice
• 1 medium garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish of your choice (we recommended parsley, diced tomatoes, and/or grated cheese)

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and garlic in a blender and blend into a smooth purée. 

2. Transfer to a large serving bowl, add the tomato juice, measured oil, vinegar, measured salt, and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

3. Taste and season additionally as needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

4. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with parsley, diced tomatoes, parmesan, mozzarella or feta cheese. 

5. Enjoy!

Spanish Starter: Gazpacho Andaluz

If you're looking for a great, cold starter look no further than a creamy gazpacho andaluz! This cold tomato soup originates in the southern region of Spain, and it's a refreshing way to start any meal.

The trick to really letting the tomato flavor shine in this recipe was to salt the tomatoes and let them sit for a little so they released more flavor. To thicken the soup, we naturally used bread (very similar to ourcreamless tomato soup recipe), and to finish it off we added just a little olive oil and sherry vinegar to add that last bit of bright flavor to this classic starter. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Gazpacho Andaluz

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 3lbs (about 6 or so medium) ripe tomatoes, cored
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded
• 1 medium green bell pepper, halved, cored, and seeded
• 1 small red onion, peeled and halved
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 1 small serrano chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• kosher salt
• 1 slice vienne or pane di casa loaf, crusts removed, roughly cut (1 slice of high quality sandwich bread without the crusts can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely minced cilantro or basil leaves

Directions

1. Roughly chop 2lbs of tomatoes, half the cucumber, half the bell pepper, and half the onion, and place in a large bowl. Add garlic, chicle, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Toss until well combined. Set aside.
2. Cut the remaining tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper into 1/4" cubes. Place the vegetables in a medium bowl. Mince the remaining onion and add to the diced tomatoes. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and transfer to a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.
3. Transfer the drained diced vegetables to a medium bowl and set aside. Add the bread pieces to the drained liquid and soak for 1 minute. Add the soaked bread and any remaining liquid to the roughly chopped vegetables and toss thoroughly to combine.
4. Transfer half of the vegetable-bread mixture to a blender or food processor and process for 30 seconds. With the blender running, slowly drizzle 1/4 cup oil and continue to blend until completely smooth (about 2 minutes).
5. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to press the soup through the strainer. Repeat with the remaining vegetable-bread mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil.
6. Stir in the vinegar, minced herb, and half of the diced vegetables into the soup and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to chill. Serve, using the remaining diced vegetables as garnish along with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and black pepper to taste.
7. Enjoy!

Spanish Tapa Recipe: Fried Eggplant with Honey

If you find yourself in southern Spain with a tapas menu in front of you, you're practically obligated to order a portion of berenjas fritas con miel de caña. This is the specialty in Andalusia, a region that encompasses the cities of Sevilla, Malaga and Granada, and is known for its Moroccan influence in the kitchen. It's a real taste-bud pleaser, a lip-smacking blend of sweet sugar cane honey (miel de caña)  and crispy fried eggplant. 

You can dress up ordinary eggplant with this Spanish-inspired recipe that's easy to re-create at home. The trickiest part is tracking down miel de caña, which isn't always readily available outside Spain. If you can't get your hands on it, substitute your favorite honey or molasses. Either one complements the eggplant perfectly, and makes for a fantastic vegetarian appetizer or side dish. 

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 2-3 oz "miel de cana" (honey or molasses)

Directions: 

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown. 

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy! 

Brunch Recipe: Spanish Omelette

The Spanish omelette-- tortilla española-- isn't what comes to mind when most of us think of a traditional omelette. Instead of an egg pancake layered with ingredients then folded, this dish is much thicker, and typically includes potatoes. It's for you're searching for a good, hearty breakfast, this is an easy choice. It's velvety, rich, and just melts in your mouth when cooked properly. Fortunately, it doesn't require too many ingredients and one omelette can serve 4, even if it can take a little time to cook. Trust us, though, it's worth it!

For this recipe, we used the strict traditional ingredients of potatoes and onions, but more vegetables (or even bacon) can absolutely be incorporated to add some variety. If you feel like experimenting, we recommend adding some roasted red peppers and peas. To boost flavor, serve olives, pickles, or even keep a little garlic mayonnaise to the side. Keep reading below for this simple recipe...

Spanish Omelette

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/8" thick slices
• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 large eggs

Directions

1. In a bowl, toss together 4 tablespoons oil, potatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper until the potato slices are separated and thoroughly coated in oil.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3. reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the potato mixture to the skillet. Set the bowl aside without washing (we'll be using it later).
4. Cover the mixture and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula every 5 minutes for about 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl from earlier until it's just combined.
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the hot potato mixture into the eggs until combined, making sure to scrape all of the potato mixture out of the skillet.
7. Turn the temperature back up to medium-high on the stove, add the remaining teaspoon oil, and heat until it just starts to smoke.
8. Add the egg mixture to the pan, and cook, shaking and folding the mixture constantly for about 15 seconds, then use the rubber spatula to  smooth out the top.
9. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook. Shake the pan every 30 seconds until the bottom is golden brown and the top is just lightly set (about 2 minutes).
10. Using the rubber spatula, loosen the omelette from the bottom of the pan, shaking the pan a little until the egg can slide around freely in the pan.
11. Slide the omelette off the pan and onto a plate. Cover the plate with a second plate face down, flip, then slide the omelette back onto the pan with the browned side up.
12. Return the pan to medium heat, and cook for another 2 minutes, shaking the pan every 30 seconds again.
13. Slide the omelette onto a plate and let cool for up to 15 minutes.
14. Cut the dish into serving sizes (sliced into quarters, or you can even cut into cubes and stick toothpicks in them for an appetizer).
15. Enjoy!

Spanish-Inspired Tapas Recipe: Spicy Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas are to Spain what chicken wings are to the U.S.—glorified and delicious barfood. Like chicken wings, patatas bravas come in a variety of shapes and forms; some are comprised of spicy tomato sauce, some of garlic aioli, and some a combination of the two. The common denominator in the mix is the presence of golden brown potatoes. You can really never go wrong with potatoes. If you like and want to try more Spanish food, or if you want to branch out from your go-to snacks during game season, try this popular tapa recipe… You won’t be disappointed!

Patatas Bravas

Serves 8

 Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
• 1-2 yellow onions, minced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. [Made day in advance] Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan, add onions and cook over medium-high heat until softened. 6-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until reduced and pulpy.
4. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 400º F.
6. Take potato cubes and spread them out over 1-2 baking trays. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to cover all sides of potatoes.
7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and lightly crisped.
8. While potatoes bake, reheat tomato chili sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
9. Remove potatoes from oven, transfer to bowls and serve with tomato sauce on top.