WHITE GAZPACHO
Most gazpachos are tomato based, but this unusual white version has become a summer staple at the Dahlia Lounge.
Ingredients
1 quart buttermilk
5 slices rustic bread, crust removed, torn, and lightly toasted
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped (we prefer to use English cucumbers, which don't require seeding)
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 head fennel, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
a splash Tabasco
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, soak the bread in the buttermilk. In batches, blend the cucumbers, celery, fennel, red pepper, onion and garlic with the buttermilk and bread. Combine the blender batches in a bowl. Stir in the vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill and serve cold. You can garnish each bowl with either with picked crabmeat or cooked prawns and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serves 8.
