January 20, 2012, 11:58 AM |
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Bizarre Foods America, your time has come. The need for Americans to see themselves as we really are (talking ‘bout you Kardashians!), the desire I have to make the unfamiliar familiar, and the bloodlust for the type of insider information that is actionable makes this the best season of Bizarre Foods ever. I mean really, how many of you went to Maun Botswana and from there to the Aha Hills like I told you to? Now there are no excuses, especially since we kick off the series in the Twin Cities– the place I’ve called home since 1992. I leaned on lots of friends and family, former and current colleagues to make this episode happen, and couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.
Minnesota winters can be brutal (but I still love ‘em). The summers, on the other hand, are unparalleled. We filmed most of this episode in July– at the height of our growing season. Folks here don’t take a single sunny day for granted, and from May-September, you’ll find Minnesotans outside biking, running, walking, fishing, or swimming. Chefs take full advantage of ingredients grown locally (sometimes even in their own backyard); diners love eating al fresco. Most Minnesotans are nudists. Look for the gratuitous montage shots of some of our favorite hidden beaches near end of the show.
Our hotdish cook-off at the Uptown VFW was one of the most fun segments to film. My wife and son were there, along with my in-laws.
Molly brought her 85-year-old grandmother, Arlene. She’s the mother of 12 boys (yes, you heard me right!) and relied heavily on these types of no-fuss hotdishes for the better part of her cooking life. Grandma Mogren has hung up her apron strings for the most part, so Molly offered to whip up her grandma’s Pizza Hotdish recipe for her. Slaving over boiling noodles and a hot oven sans AC when the heat index hit 105 degrees… that’s a labor of love.
As for other entrees, you won’t believe the things people submitted. Maybe it’s my jaded New York upbringing, but I don’t think lime Jell-o, olives and cottage cheese should ever go together. Ever. Oh, and I can’t wait for you to meet Lola, whose extreme cleavage slightly upstaged her Jell-o salad. Play a game at home when you watch this act and let me know if you can tell which of the ladies who made Jell-o are hammered. Answer: Most of them.
But let me just say in complete honesty that the best moments of this show, some of the absolute best moments in the history of Bizarre Foods, wound up on the cutting room floor.
Anyone who has ever eaten hot dogs at The Gopher Bar and Tilia can imagine how that little ‘compare and contrast’ moment played out. (the ones shown above are from Tilia, by the way).
The guys at Travail surprised me with “Durian Eight Ways”– meaning eight bite-sized courses featuring one of my least favorite foods. I was simply stunned, and props to Bob who made four separate durian desserts. They were so well executed that I almost forgot they were made with durian… almost. We also failed at capturing Dusti, Molly and Beth (the ladies from my office) talking ad nauseum about the “hot kitchen staff at Travail.” Apparently these gals can’t resist the tatted up, bandana-wearing young chef type. I am seriously worried about them.
My day at the Hmong market– I loved the green papaya salad so much that I served it at my 50th birthday party.
Manning the kitchen at Haute Dish and slinging the special I came up with– Andrew ZImmern’s Offal Hotdish (though I loved it, diner’s mixed reviews leads me to think it won’t be back on the menu any time soon).
Doug Flicker blowing my mind in the kitchen at Piccolo. The man is a genius.
I felt like a total badass fishing for garbage fish with a cross bow, even though my aim was abysmal. And look at the lake at night. Heaven.
Checking out the Twin Cities budding food truck scene. They legalized it last year in Mpls (and can still only be downtown for whatever dumb reason), and I couldn’t be happier. I was very sad we only visited one truck.
Two words: Juicy Lucy. Whether it’s at the 5-8, Matt’s Bar, the Blue Door Pub or at home, we love those suckers here. Just try to not burn your mouth on molten hot cheese.
And these are just a few highlights from the Bizarre Foods America premiere. Watch it Monday, January 23 at 10|9C on Travel Channel.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
January 16, 2012, 6:25 PM |
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Hello World, we are back. See our air dates below for the FIRST HALF of our most amazing season yet. We went All-American for a few reasons.
First, after 5 years on the road overseas I wanted to see if my theories about food and culture applied at home the same way they do in far off lands. I wanted to see if Darwins theory about islands as preservation points applied to inner cities and the immigrant experience. I wanted to see if social change and entrepreneurism could solve the food crisis in our country. I wanted to see if I could get a good bowl of laksa in the Midwest. I wanted to show you the ins and outs of the cities I love and travel to all the time, introduce you to friends old and new, famous faces and anonymous food genius’. I wanted to explore the world of alternative foods in my home country to see if I could get YOU to eat more of them in your daily life. Hard to do that when I an showing you all about Icelandic Hakarl or Samoan sea cucumber intestines fermented into a table condiment. But you can access all the foods in this special season, and we prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that one mans weird is another mans wonderful, even if that man is your neighbor.
Check in at end of week and I will give you the behind the scenes scoop on our Twin Cities episode that kicks off the new season next Monday night.
Episode Premiere Date
Twin Cities Jan. 23*
New Orleans Jan. 30
Seattle Feb. 6
Boston Feb. 13
Detroit Feb. 20
West Virginia Feb. 27
Charleston March 5
Savannah March 12
*The Twin Cities premiere episode will air on Monday @ 10|9c, but starting Jan. 30, Bizarre Foods America moves to it’s regularly scheduled time, at 9|8c.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
November 18, 2011, 12:40 PM |
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As you’ve probably noticed on BF, it’s not always about sitting down and enjoying a meal. Sometimes you gotta work for your dinner. That’s when you look to the folks at Broken Arrow Ranch– an artisanal producer free-range venison, antelope, and wild boar meat. The family-owned business out of Texas Hill Country is serious about their meat, field harvesting only truly wild animals. I was thrilled to hit the field with these guys, hoping to track a deer.
After a full day of hunting, I ended up getting the beautiful sika deer (pictured above)– an Asian species that they’re raising on the ranch.
Within minutes of shooting the animal, the deer was hit with electrical stimulation. This causes a contraction of muscles which ensures a thorough bleed out, guaranteeing a mild-tasting meat and longer shelf life sans funky preservatives. It also tenderizes the meat (typically 40 percent to 60 percent more tender than non-stimulated meat).
The carcass is then hauled to a mobile processor, which is right out in the field with us. Broken Arrow has one of their meat cutters (guy in blue hat), as well as a USDA inspector (guy in white hat) onsite. The animal is expertly broken down, then the cuts are placed into a mobile cooler.
I’ve hunted my entire life and have never seen anyone do this– ever. The process isn’t an easy one, but it’s worth it. This is hands down some of the best meat I’ve ever tried. So incredibly fresh and tender. It’s quality is unparalleled.
Chef Rene Ortiz of La Condesa whipped up this fantastic deer heart escabeche. That’s some fresh pluck.
Chef Ortiz also did these amazing tortilla cooked with bacon fat, stuffed with seared deer loin, cumin yogurt, and habanero harissa.
I got in on the culinary action, putting these jalapeños stuffed with deer liver, heart and kidney wrapped in cherry smoked bacon onto the grill for some slow roasting chile goodness.
On Bizarre Foods America, this is where my deer story will end. But wait! There’s more for you blog readers. The deer I shot was purchased by Chef Robert Wiedmaier of Brabo in Old Town Alexandria (outside of DC), and is currently available on their menu.
Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson said they’re running these two dishes (created by Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson) made from my sika as a weekend special. He expects them to sell out quickly, so you gotta get there today or tomorrow. How good do these look?!:
Pan seared venison loin with tagliatelle pasta, venison ragout, Brussels sprouts and venison sausage, natural jus.
Pappardelle with venison ragout chanterelle mushrooms and mustard greens.
If you’re in the DC area, try to get to Brabo this weekend. Trust me, these dishes are going to be insanely good.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
September 7, 2011, 1:32 PM |
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Gearing up for Andrew’s next Appetite for Life season (they’re doing a big road trip through the southern US. “Like” them on Facebook for updates on the shoot schedule), figuring out the details on AZ’s Carts in the Parc event at the NYC Food & Wine Festival, and tackling about one gazillion other projects… we’ve been swamped at Food Works. But no matter how many things piled up on our to do lists, we still made time for our annual state fair trip.
The Zimmern family loves the Minnesota State Fair. They’d go every single day if possible (this year, I think it was 11 out of 12 days). They have specific walking routes for efficiency. They’ve got weird food rules, like you can only eat cheese curds from the Mouse Trap, and the only malt worth slurping comes from the little old ladies at the Kiwanis stand. The state fair is like a religion to these people.
For the past three years, we’ve opted to forgo the office holiday party and instead do a Food Works day at the fair. The Zimmern clan, the Kugler family, our latest hire Beth, and yours truly, spent last Friday eating our faces off and taking in the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Highlights:
Rafferty & Hattie got to take the first bites of our Gizmo sandwiches (apparently, Hattie didn’t want to share). I think we’re all in agreement that this is our favorite fair food. Thanks to Iowans Carla (pictured above with AZ) & Kirby Wood for bringing this Italian meat torpedo to us Minnesotans.
Fun Fact: Andrew doesn’t like rides. His wife does though! Rishia & Hattie on the scrambler:
The weirdest of weird items at the fair wasn’t deep fried and on a stick. It was the Strib’s mustard-flavored lip balm. Next pic, Beth & the Hattmeister on the sky ride. Looks like Hattie hogged all the photos.
We made a quick work-related stop to talk with John and Elizabeth at Twin Cities Live. As we exited the building, AZ stepped in a bunch of goat poop. It was awesome. Later, we met up with our office neighbor (and the most hardcore massage therapist I know), Pui.
I had to dip early, but was psyched I got to check out this beautiful stuffed badger at the DNR exhibit before I split. The only thing that would’ve been cooler is if it were a honey badger, ’cause honey badger don’t care. What’s your favorite fair food?
Posted By: Molly Mogren
July 22, 2011, 3:13 PM |
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Last night, AZ & I headed to NE Minneapolis for Eat Ramen Help Japan. The gist: six chefs created ramen dishes, us patrons paid $10 per noodle bowl, and all proceeds went to Second Harvest Japan. It was probably the best food event I’ve been to in the Twin Cities. Simple, straightforward, not trying to be too hip or trendy, just good food and good people getting together for a good cause. And the weather finally cooperated! Andrew, one of the evening’s official noodle judges, remarked that it had a San Francisco/Brooklyn-y vibe. Nice work to all of you who put in so much hard work to make this a success.
Here are some of my favorite pics from the night. Enjoy!
Pork belly deliciousness from the Masu team.
Chef Tim McKee & Masu co. working up a sweat. Don’t worry, I believe the soup was sweat-free.
I hear this guy is really good at cooking and yoga. True story.
My besties, Margie and Liz, getting their slurp on.
Moto-i’s broth-free noodles dominated. Andrew voted them numero uno. Agreed. There was a perfectly-cooked, soft-boiled egg in there, people!
Warehouses of NE. Who needs ramen when they make Cheerios around the corner?! Oh relax, I’m kidding.
The Zimmern family album, coming soon to a Sam Goody near you.
Noodle art meets fine (or at least kind of trippy) art.
So many mouths to feed, so little work space!
The Dakota’s made-to-order ramen. Oxtail & squash & foie, oh my.
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Stay cool, eat well, and if you can, make a donation to Second Harvest Japan.
Posted By: Molly Mogren
July 18, 2011, 3:44 PM |
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Tomorrow night is the final new episode of the season. We are in Jamaica, so why not throw a party? Make a pitcher of the YellowBird Cocktails, cook some fritters, stir up some island jambalaya (which is how I always think of the Asopao), and get your bizarre food funk on. Hope you enjoy the show tomorrow night (Tuesday, July 19) at 9pm E/P on Travel Channel. I am shooting a new season even as we speak, so don’t worry, more new eps on their way….
Trinidad Yellow Bird Cocktails
This makes a large pitcher suitable for getting schnockered with a few friends.
1 1/2 cups Cointreau
3 cups Appleton amber rum
10 mint sprigs
1 cup simple syrup
Juice of two limes
Juice of 3 oranges
3T Agnostura bitters, more or less to taste
Crushed ice
Pour all the ingredients into a large pitcher filled with crushed ice.
Stir vigorously, season with simple syrup if you like it a tad sweeter.
Serve immediately
Salt Cod ‘Stamp and Go’ Fritters with Dipping Sauce
1# dried salt cod, rinsed in several changes of cool water over a few hours and soaked overnight in a cold water bath in the refrigerator.
1 and ½ cups sifted flour
1 and ½ t baking powder
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6-7 T ice water
2 medium onions, finely minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup celery leaves finely minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced
1T fresh thyme leaves
1t salt
1t ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Clean, trim and shred the fish.
Mix the fish, baking powder, flour, beaten egg, and just enough water to create a batter consistency the texture of loose cement.
Stir in the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, black pepper and salt.
In a pot on the stove set up your frying station with oil heated to 375.
Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls into the oil and cook until golden.
Drain on paper toweling and serve hot with the sauce.
Sauce Chien
1 small onion, minced
6 scallions minced
1 fresh chili pepper cleaned and minced (scotch bonnet)
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2t dried thyme
1 roasted red bell pepper, pulsed in a food processor or ground in mortar with a pestle
2T minced parsley
One half cup boiling water
juice of 1 lime
2T peanut oil
Combine all the ingredients except the water, lime and oil in a bowl and stir to combine.
Add the water. Cool, add remaining ingredients and serve
Asopao de Pollo y Mariscos…Chicken, Shrimp and Rice Stew
Serves 6
2T fresh oregano leaves
2T fresh thyme leaves
4 garlic cloves sliced thin
6 boneless chicken thighs, cubed in 1” pieces
2 slices fruit wood smoked thick cut bacon, cut in 1” pieces
5T olive oil
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 large onion, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ cup grated coconut, toasted….don’t use the sweetened kind
1 cup white wine
2 cups long grain white rice
4 cups rich homemade chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh or frozen cooked green peas
1 # wild ocean caught shrimp, U-15 size work best, peeled and deveined
Juice of 1 lime
Mix the chicken, thyme, oregano and garlic.
Set aside.
In a large non reactive heavy skillet on medium heat, heat the oil and saute the chicken to brown on all sides.
Reserve.
Add the bacon and saute until browned.
Add the onions, peppers, hot pepper and stir for a few minutes to cook through.
Add the tomatoes.
Add the rice and coconut and stir to coat with vegetables. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes to cook away half the liquid.
Add the chicken stock and freshly ground pepper to taste. bring to a boil and cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes
Remove the cover and stir in the shrimp, peas and lime juice.
Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes more.
Season to taste with sea salt, and serve immediately.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
July 15, 2011, 3:45 PM |
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Heyo from Food Works HQs. Many of you have asked me if I “eat all that weird stuff that Andrew does.” Sometimes I do, and recently I found myself keeping up with the boss man during an impressive food day in Minneapolis. Whenever you’re out to eat with Andrew, he takes the reigns. I arrived to our lunch meeting at Victory 44 with an open mind and an empty stomach (he always orders enough for the group x 3). Seven of us were at lunch. Here’s what arrived at our table:
2 orders of bacon fries– regular fries with a squirt of bacon fat, pinch of rosemary salt, Parmesean cheese, and house-made bacon powder (that stuff should be illegal.)
2 orders of artichoke flatbread with white anchovies
2 orders of Devils on Horse Back, aka bacon-wrapped dates with bleu cheese whiz
2 charcuterie plates, complete with headcheese, bacon-wrapped liverwurst, chicken pate with cherries and walnuts, chicken galantine, sous vide cow tongue, and beef liver mousse
7 (!) Foie dogs with kimchee cukes
2 orders of fried chicken in a biscuit
2 orders of Korean bbq pork
2 orders of coconut sorbet with tapioca
2 orders of nectarine cream cake with pickled vanilla and tomato sorbet
I’m fairly certain we ordered more than this, but I can only recall these dishes. I loved nearly everything– the chicken pate, artichoke flatbread, fried chicken and bbq pork were insane. The tomato sorbet was insane as well, but in a completely different way. It’s my least favorite fruit/vegetable (?), and as a dessert? Ah, nice try but no thanks. I was stuffed by the end of lunch.
***
But wait! There’s more! Next we headed down the street to Travail where Andrew was to film a segment for Bizarre Foods: MN. Not 45 minutes later, I was made to eat the following:
Fried duck nuts! (terrible pic, but you get the idea)
A burger made with extra beef fat!
The organ grinder sandwich (liverwurst, rabbit mortadella, beef tongue and sweet bread terrine, duck liver mousse, cucumber, cornichon, radish, and dijon truffle sherry vin emulsion)!
I also tried a durian doughnut. And guess what… I LOVED it!
***
You’re probably thinking that by this point I’d be ready to explode, barf, or worse. Well you, my friend, are 100 percent correct. But wait… there is still more.
That very same evening, I had a romantic dinner date with my sweetheart at Piccolo (yet another restaurant to be featured on Bizarre Foods: MN). We’d had the reservation for 3 weeks. It was for my birthday. I couldn’t dip on this one, so here’s what I had for dinner:
Compressed butter lettuce with olio verde, pistachios and anchovy jus
Burrata with frozen peas, house cured shad botarga and crispy artichokes
English cucumber with blue crab, shaved asparagus and Japanese mayonnaise
Broiled swordfish belly with yuba knot, hon shimeji mushrooms, spring onion and tofu puree
Scrambled brown eggs with pickled pig’s feet, truffle butter and Parmigiano
Monterey Bay squid stuffed with salt cod, papas bravas and chorizo
Callister Farm chicken with artichokes, locally milled polenta and batter fried fig
Veal chuck roast with king crab, fava beans and spinach
Strawberry and rhubarb trifle with graham cracker pastry and Chantilly cream
***
So how does a girl like me feel after eating 2 kinds of crab, chicken 4 ways, duck nuts, 9 kinds of offal, 2 kinds of beef tongue, 5 kinds of fish, and who knows what else? Equal parts disgusted with myself, impressed by Andrew’s ability to do this on a regular basis, and happy to check “eating something from every cage in the zoo” off my bucket list.
What’s your most outrageous eating day?
Posted By: Molly Mogren
July 11, 2011, 2:26 PM |
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In his beautifully written article in the final issue of Gourmet magazine published in 2009, Adam Gollner wrote about a trip up north, 11 hours by train, to go hunt and fish with Fred Morin and David McMillan of the famous Joe Beef restaurant in Montreal. This passage became my inspiration for the Montreal shoot of Bizarre Foods. Gollner put it perfectly…
“Most of Montreal’s finest restaurants tap into the mythology of the well-fed outdoorsman, whether it’s the “man-sized French Canadian cooking” of Martin Picard’s Au Pied de Cochon or of Old Montreal’s Le Club Chasse et Pêche, named after northern sporting lodges and decorated in kind. These restaurants, like the institutions they revere, are temples of hedonism. It’s as though overindulgence became a way of compensating for—or obliterating the memory of—the hardships endured by the coureurs de bois. As early as the 19th Century, sporting periodicals were already describing larders bulging with baskets of Champagne, magnums of claret, a “fair allowance” of dry Sherry, barrels of India Pale Ale, and cases of “eau de vie pale et vieille for medicinal purposes.”
Montreal has always inspired some of my most deeply resonant lost weekends. There is no city on earth better geared for a weekend of madly obsessive chowing than the Quebecois pleasure dome of Montreal. And its not just Montreals finest eateries that plug into the aestehtica of indulgence, the casual joints do as well. From Abu Elias butcher shop and café to Schwartz’s Deli, nothing is small and light in Montreal. And the star of the show? Meat. I love this town.
We ate terrine and offal at DNA where chef Derrick Damman is crushing it, serving truly inspired food that loudly screams its Canadian provenance, we destroyed 70# of BBQ with Fred on the back porch of Joe Beef with the crew from Fleisher’s Meats in NYC, we mowed down 6 courses at Au Pied de Cochon, 3 at La Banquise, 4 at Brome Lake Duck, 12 at Abu Elias, dozens at Jean Talon and Atwater Markets, 9 at Martin Picard’s Cabin Sucre, and the list goes on. I only at two courses at Schwartz’s, but it was a BBQ duck and a monster of a smoked meat sandwich and I was playing it cool because I was trying to impress the insanely sexy and divinely funny wing-woman I had accompany that day, Nadia Giosa of Bitchin’ Kitchen fame.
Best moment not seen on camera: we ate all day at Atwater market and all night at Joe Beef with Fred and stopped in to shoot some b-roll at APDC and I was going to eat a maple pudding for show. I was stuffed and deliriously full. I was hallucinating on an overdose of pork fat and oysters, butter and lard, potatoes and grilled smoked boiled braised sauteed roasted meat of all types. I was swaying like a drunken fat girl at prom. It was ugly. So I am at the table eating, Chef Emily and manager Marc taking good care of me because Martin was up north at Cabin Sucre where he retreats in Spring to get away from the headaches of being Martin Picard. Well, all of a sudden course after course start arriving, beef tartare cones, marrow bones with foie gras and truffle butter, roasted pork cheek confit with foie gras, curried whole pork shoulder (yes I said whole!) and more…I look up, and who is pulling the strings, trying to crush me as any chef would to any other they see in their dining room…Martin. He had driven in from the country just to make sure I was buried alive under an avalanche of the best food in town. I still haven’t recovered and that was in March!
Enjoy the show, it’s one of the best we ever created. And more importantly you need to spend more time in Montreal, its where my step-dad lives and I get there often, but it’s never enough. Catch the full episode Tuesday, July 12 at 9pm ET/PT on Travel Channel.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
June 28, 2011, 4:31 PM |
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We loved Fez…the medina, the hills, the ‘new’ city. And the riads. Best thing I can tell you is to walk the medina daily, and when you see construction, linger. Wait a few minutes and when the inevitable thrice hourly delivery arrives, ask to peek around.
Everyone is friendly, they love to show you how the local artisans restore thousand year old homes, oases of tranquility, serving the best foods in the city. Check out Riad Laaroussa’s website, it’s my choice for where to stay, and the food is superb. Watch the show, the bistilla was made in their kitchen.
Here is an amazingly easy and simple fish dish that reminds me of the best of Moroccan cuisine. Fez is not on the coast, and fish is virtually unseen at mealtimes, but this should make a nice dinner for you while you watch our show. The foods of Fez are extraordinary, with insane layers of flavor created by marrying smart cooking with the best ingredients. That’s true of most North African cuisine… You can use this technique on any fish, big or small, even a walleye from the lake or a porgy from the channel. Enjoy, and watch the new Bizarre Foods: Morocco show tonight at 9pm E/P on Travel Channel.
Grilled Sardines with Almond Chermoula
12 fresh sardines, cleaned, heads on…if sardines are not available, try small red mullet, mackerel or trout.
3 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 large handful mint leaves
1/2 cup toasted almonds
3 plump garlic cloves
A few pinches hot ground red chile, don’t be afraid of the heat!
1 cup olive oil
3T lime juice, more or less to taste
1/2 cup raisins, coarsely chopped
1/2t saffron mixed into 2T water
1 small onion minced fine
Place the onion, raisins, saffron and half the almonds into a large bowl and set aside.
Puree the remaining ingredients and cut 3 slashes into both sides of the fish. Do so at a 45 degree angle and don’t go through the spine of the fish.
Take 1/3 of the pureed mixture and rub into the fish slashes and along the length of the fish. Season fish with salt and pepper.
Take the remaining puree and combine with the onion mixture to make the table sauce (chermoula).
Grill (or broil) the fish for several minutes on each side and serve with the chermoula.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
June 21, 2011, 1:20 PM |
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Tonight’s episode is all about Suriname, the smallest nation in South America. I visit two villages, hunt in the jungle, and discover foods that were even bizarre to me.
Since I couldn’t come up with a savvy salted piranha recipe for the home chef (next time…), here’s a dish I love in celebration of the first day of summer. We always try to keep a pitcher of gazpacho in our fridge in the warm weather months as a snack and as an easy thing to build a meal around. Keep large batches of this easy and addictive soup on hand throughout the rest of the summer.
Gazpacho (makes 6 servings)
6 c tomato juice
2 t dried oregano
6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 clv fresh gralic, chopped
2 t Crystal brand hot sauce
1 T fresh lemon juice
3 T red wine vinegar
2 T Worchestershire sauce
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
2 c cucumbers, shoped, peeled, and seeded
2 c green peppers, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
Place tomato juice in a large work bowl and add oregano, basil, and olive oil. Season with some sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Set aside.
Place remaining ingredients in work bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine in batches, adding tomato juice mixture in equal proportions as you purée. Do not over-mix. You are looking for an evenly textured purée with some grit to it. The crunch and the pretty visuals will come later from your diced vegetable garnishes.
Chill, taste, and adjust the salt and acid (lemon-vinegar) flavors and serve, garnishing as indicated below.
Garnish
Try any or all of these great “soup accessories” with your next batch of gazpacho.
• Bread cubes, brushed with bruised garlic and pan-fried crisp in olive oil
• Minced pepper, cucumber, tomato, and onion mixed in equal parts
• Minced parsley
• Olive oil drizzles
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
