National Gazpacho Day - An Awesome Grilled Gazpacho Recipe

Grilled Gazpacho Recipe!

In celebration of National Gazpacho Day (December 6th), the GrillJunkie team hones our vegetable grilling skills by creating this delicious gazpacho soup and laying vegetables directly on hot grates. This cooking method imparts a hauntingly smoky flavor to this vibrant and earthy soup.

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A Bit of Gazpacho’s History

Gazpacho is a tomato-based, luscious yet refreshing vegetable soup, traditionally served cold. This richly layered and refreshing soup originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. Gazpacho is widely consumed in Spanish and Portuguese cuisine where it is known as gaspacho. Gazpacho has ancient roots. There are a number of theories of its origin, including as an Arabic soup of bread, garlic, water and olive oil that arrived in Spain and Portugal with the Moors, or possibly via the Romans with the addition of vinegar.

Once it hit the streets of Spain it quickly spilled into Andalucían cuisine. Gazpacho is amazingly delicious, unique and certainly deserves its well-earned National Holiday.  Although Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature, the GrillJunkie team has always been stumped by the reason behind its National Food Holiday being celebrated in December.

Stumped, but oh so excited that we have an excuse to grill some vegetables, roast some garlic and share this great treat with you.

Grilled Gazpacho Recipe Ingredients:

1. 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled – (See our Grilled Garlic Recipe to grill a whole bulb at once)
2. 3 large tomatoes, (1 Plum type, 2 Heirloom – 1 1/2 pounds total)
3. 1 medium English cucumber, sliced
4. 1 yellow bell pepper
5. 1 red bell pepper
6. 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, peeled
7. 1/2 jalapeño pepper
8. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
9. 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
10. 1 Tbsp chopped basil, plus more for garnish
11. 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12. 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
13. Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Place the garlic cloves on a 5″ x 5″ piece of aluminum foil. Coat generously with olive oil. Wrap the garlic cloves in the sheet of foil. (To grill an entire garlic bulb, see our Grilled Garlic Recipe).
  

  Grilled garlic roasted with earthy and healthy olive oil.

• Cut the cucumber into quarters and set aside.

• Cut the the plum and heirloom tomatoes into quarters. Place the tomatoes in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow some of the water to be drawn out of the tomatoes. (This process intensifies the flavor when grilling the tomatoes and the juice may be used to thin out the gazpacho soup to your liking).

• Transfer the water drained from the tomatoes to a sealed container, cover and refrigerate.

• Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Brush and oil the grill grate or a vegetable-grilling basket.

• Brush the tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeño and onion with olive oil, and lightly season with salt and pepper.

• Arrange the tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeño and onion directly on the grill grate or in the basket directly over medium-high heat. Grill, turning frequently, until soft and nicely charred on all sides; 10 minutes total for the tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeño…and 15 minutes for the onion and garlic. By the way, your jalepeño is now half way to becoming a chipotle. Man you are an expert griller!

• Transfer the grilled vegetables to a platter and let cool slightly. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, pick over the vegetables, removing most of the burned skin but leaving some charred bits. Chop all the grilled vegetables coarsely.

• Transfer all of the grilled vegetables, including the fresh cucumber and peeled garlic, to a food processor and puree. With the machine on, gradually add the 1/4 cup of olive oil, then blend in the vinegar. Add the herbs, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the tomato water to adjust for desired thickness and texture and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Ladle the gazpacho into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and serve.

• Enjoy, smile and cherish your time with Family& Friends!

Grilled Gazpacho Recipe: Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day to enhance the flavor. Stir to recombine and garnish just before serving.

• Ingredient Note: For a real treat, replace the jalapeño with 1 Tbsp of Piment d’Espelette – a sweet, mildly spicy pepper, from the French side of the Basque region, ground into powder. Hot paprika will get you somewhat close to the taste as an alternative.

What are your thoughts on this recipe? What Fires YOU Up?

We welcome your comments, healthy debate, and the inevitable disagreement. Leave a reply or comment. It’s OK. Bring it on!

Grilled Garlic and Garlic Bread

Grilled Garlic and Garlic Bread Recipe

Over the years, the team here at GrillJunkie has experimented and perfected how to grill/roast garlic whole and enjoy the warm, toasty cloves right out of the head, or for use on and in many dishes. Below you will find a 2 for 1 RECIPE; Grilled Garlic, and then using that incredible garlic on, Grilled Garlic Bread. How incredibly simple! And perfect for garlic lovers.

Grilled Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1 head of garlic
• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground peppercorns

Preparation:

1. Fire up grill and preheat to medium/high heat to about 400 degrees F.
2. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of the cloves, exposing the inside tops of the individual cloves of garlic.
4. Place the garlic heads on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Wrap the garlic bulb with aluminum foil. Grill at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves look caramelized and feel soft when pressed.
5. Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Using a small sharp knife, cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
6. Eat as is (there is nothing quite like freshly roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use in dishes such as on steak, sauces, pesto or in pasta. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

Grilled Garlic Bread

Ingredients

• 6 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 stick butter, softened
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 slices Italian or French bread, sliced 1/4-inch thick on an angle
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoons freshly chopped sweet basil

Directions

1. Fire up and Preheat your grill to Medium/High heat or to about 400 degrees F.
2. Combine the garlic and butter in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on one side of each slice of bread. Grill butter-side down until lightly golden.
4. Turn each slice over, sprinkle with parsley and basil and grill an additional 20 seconds.

Smile and enjoy!

Grilled Sweet Vidalia Onion Bloom Recipe

Grilled Sweet Vidalia Onion Blooms

Vidalia onions are delicious, any way you slice them. But when they are grilled or roasted, then you've cooked up a little bit of sweet heaven. Add bacon, butter and cheese, and, well, there really are no words.

Ingredients

• 4 medium Vidalia onion or other sweet onions
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (or thyme) chopped
• 4 slices Havarti cheese
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Sea salt to taste

Tools

• Charcoal or gas grill
• Grilling tongs
• Parking knife
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

Preparation

1. Light and preheat grill to Medium - High
2. Cut onion tops and "backtail" so onions can sit flat. Peel each onion.
3. Using a parking knife, cut a hollow cone-like shape into the center of each onion, being careful not to go all the way through the bottom of the onions.
4. Salt and pepper each onion from the top down into cavities.
5. Place onions sliced side up on individual aluminum foil squares.
6. In a bowl, add the butter, bacon, bread crumbs and parsley and mix until well combined into a butter mixture.
7. Evenly distribute butter mixture on and into the onion cavities.
8. Top each onion with Havarti cheese and add a pinch more of salt and pepper.
9. Fold aluminum foil around onion until all ends meet, gathering at the top to seal and create a tent.
   
10. Place each onion packet on covered grill over indirect heat for 30 minutes, rotating occasionally. Onion should be soft and “melted” with the bottom caramelized when done.
11. With tongs, remove the onion bloom packets from grill, let cool for 5 minutes before opening the foil packets. 
12. Serve as a side dish with grilled steak, or burgers.
13. Smile, be proud, and enjoy!