On a sultry, sweltering, hot summer night, the kind that we can only imagine in San Francisco, there’s nothing worse than slaving over a hot stove. And there’s nothing more refreshing than savoring some juicy slices of watermelon and sipping a chilled soup.
I am thinking about the South of Spain, which is known for hot and sultry summers, the kind that gave birth to the passion of flamenco, the need for siestas, and the iconic chilled soup known as gazpacho. Served as part of a meal or as a drink, gazpacho is ubiquitous in Spanish culture.
My first taste of gazpacho was a visual one, in Pedro Almodovar’s 1988 comedy, Women on the Verge of A Nervous Breakdown. This is the film that introduced the world to Antonio Banderas. Gazpacho is not only served in the film, it is the leitmotif, and could even considered one of the main characters.
In a pivotal scene, the cast sits around drinking glasses of gazpacho, some of them passing out because, well, this one happens to be drugged.
One of the main characters, Pepa Marcos (played by Carmen Maura), throws a handful of sleeping pills (barbiturates) into a batch intended for her ex-lover Ivan (Fernando Guillén). Others, including Ivan’s son’s fiancée Marisa (Rossy de Palma), also get a taste, by accident or design. Questioned by a police officer, Pepa recites her recipe for a classic Andalusian gazpacho: “Tomates, pepino, pimiento, cebolla, una puntita de ajo, sal, vinagre, pan duro, y agua” (tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion, a clove of garlic, salt, vinegar, stale bread, and water).
In the book, Almodovar on Almodovar, the filmmaker comments on his use of gazpacho in the plot. It is clear that this is a very special and powerful gazpacho:
“The gazpacho in the film is a kind of magic potion. Like the potion in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, it can change the life of the person who drinks it and transport them to another world. The gazpacho transforms Rossy de Palma into a real woman.“
This “magic potion,” the traditional Andalusian gazpacho consumed in the film, has roots as far back as the Romans in the third century BC, further influenced by the 800 years of Moorish presence. The word “Gazpacho” is thought to derive from an early Roman word “caspa,” meaning remnants or fragments. “Gazpacho” is also slang in Spain to mean confusion or predicament. Both meanings apply to its use in Women on the Verge of A Nervous Breakdown.
Gazpacho started as a simple peasant food, originally composed of leftovers: stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar. When the tomato was introduced from the New World, this was added, transforming the original soup into the familiar, raw, tomato soup that Pepa makes in the film. Traditionally, it was made using a mortar and pestle, but most cooks today, like Pepa, use a blender. Gazpacho is usually served with garnishes consisting of chopped versions of the vegetables used in the soup, as well as croutons.
Modern Spanish chefs have further added to the mix by making gazpacho out of fruit, with the sweetness tempered by savory flavors and garnishes. I always enjoy a combination of the sweet and the savory. And I absolutely love it when history brings seemingly unconnected flavors together. Watermelon is just as refreshing as gazpacho, and both trace their Spanish origins to the Moors, who brought watermelon from Africa to Europe in the 13th century. In that spirit, and in tribute to the great Pedro Almodovar, here’s a gazpacho made of watermelon and cucumbers. It’ll knock you out.
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Watermelon on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Gazpacho
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 small (about 3-pounds) seedless watermelon, cubed (about 5 cups)
1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced (about 1 cup)
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, diced (about 1 cup)
1 jalapeño chile, seeded, more to taste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Garnishes:
finely cubed watermelon, cucumber, celery, red and yellow bell pepper, and red onion
fresh mint leaves
olive oil for drizzling
Accompaniments: crusty baguette
Technique
1. Purée all ingredients in the blender until smooth, reserving some of each fruit/vegetable for garnish.
2. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. Divide chilled gazpacho into four bowls.
4. Serve garnishes alongside for your guests to customize to taste.
5. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
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References:
“Through Andalusia, In Search of Gazpacho.” NYT Sept 4 2005
Strauss, Frédéric. Almodovar on Almodovar. New York: Faber and Faber, 2007. p.89
Looking for other doctor-recommended recipes for a healthy and delicious life? Join my healthy eating community, The Doctor’s Spicebox. And if you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, take one of my monthly cooking classes in the Thrive Kitchen at Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco. I’d love to cook with you! Registration opens TODAY for the next class, 7/25/17, Spanish Summer: Gazpacho and Tapas, where we will be preparing other gazpacho and tapas recipes.
To your health!
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