White Gazpacho! I Eat This All the Time…Like Every 20 Years

A very, very long time ago, I had a white gazpacho. It was ice cold, very tasty, and super refreshing. It was similar to a classic gazpacho, but with no tomato and peppers. It was so unusually delicious that it really made an impression.

It had a cucumber base, was garnished with almonds and grapes, and was so good, I told myself to get the recipe and put it into regular summer rotation. That was probably 20 years ago, and I haven’t had it since. Totally spaced. 

Anyway, last week I came across this on Grubstreet, and it all came back to me. I knew I must try this soup! I’ve adapted the Dovetail’s versionslightly, but it’s one of those very personal recipes that you’ll want to adjust to your tastes.

Tweaking the amounts of salt, vinegar, and sweetness from the grapes will easily alter the final product, so experimentation is a must! The same goes for the texture. Add a bit more or less water depending on your dream viscosity.

The ice cube trick is optional, but really does keep the soup nicely chilled. The temperature is so critical here – you can’t serve this too cold. By the way, the dill oil I drip on the top was nothing more than a few tablespoons of vegetable oil mashed with some fresh dill with a mortar and pestle.

So, the next time you’re looking for a cool first course for that next great garden party, I hope you give this a try. You’ll love it so much, I’m sure you’ll make it all the time! ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 small servings:

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 cup whites part of leeks, washed, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 English cucumbers, peeled

8-10 green grapes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup crème fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt

1 generous cup fresh bread cubes

2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

cayenne to taste

1 1/2 cups cold water, more if needed

dill oil and/or fresh dill leaves

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“BBQ” Broiled Red Snapper – This One’s For the Haters

There’s a fairly large population of folks who just don’t like fish. I’m not talking about people with allergies, but those poor souls who’s worst nightmare is arriving at a dinner party, only to find out the main course is fish. Their reasons are as diverse as they are unfortunate.

Well, this broiled red snapper recipe may be just what the doctor ordered. Normally we don’t want to cover up the delicate flavors of the seafood, but in this case, we have no choice. It’s not like you can’t tell you’re eating fish, but close enough.

By the way, the last time I made red snapper, a few people wondered out loud if that was a wise choice, sustainability-wise. I believe the variety I used was local and not in danger, but I know it’s on some no-eat lists. However, things may be looking up for red snapper in the Gulf.

I just read that there appears to be an abundant red snapper population there, and fishermen are anxiously waiting for the bureaucratic powers that be to raise the limits. You can read more about that here. Of course, this will work with any white fish, so I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 (7-oz) red snapper filets

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp bbq sauce

salt and cayenne pepper to taste 

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Bonus Red Snapper Info

I have no way to verify whether this info is accurate, but I found it compelling and wanted to share. 

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Sloppy Toms – This Sandwich Has a Great Personality

I was so excited I’d been able to make such a fine Sloppy Joe with ground turkey instead of the usual beef, that I didn’t even consider its unsightly appearance as I ate. It wasn’t until later, as I edited the footage and photos that I realized this was not an attractive dish.

Even the best looking Sloppy Joe is a homely plate of food, but this was made even more so by the pale turkey meat. As I mentioned in the video, I believe a more thorough browning of the onions would have helped the color, and I will test that theory the next time I make this.

In fairness, it did look a little better in person, and the taste and texture were exactly as I had hoped. It tasted enough like a traditional beef Sloppy Joe to provide that satisfying comfort food fix, yet seemed much lighter.

Superficial beauty aside, this made for a very enjoyable lunch, and kept warm in a slow cooker, could also work very nicely for a Super Bowl party. I hope you give it a try soon. By the way, thanks to Me.Eat.Food for inspiring today post title! Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

2 tbsp butter

1 onion

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey plus 1/2 cup cold water

3/4 cup ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste

cayenne to taste

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cup water, or as needed

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

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