Author Notes
This recipe was inspired by a raspberry gazpacho that I had at a restaurant in Paris last summer. My goal was to create a soup that heavily featured the strawberries but without being very sweet or tomatoey and to temper it with some other herbs and aromatics. I personally love this soup, but you can decide for yourself. The compote is entirely optional but adds some other nice flavors and chunks of strawberry which were a welcome addition. Before serving, add a dollop of compote to the middle of the soup or mix it throughout. And then eat it with everything you can until it's gone and then make some more. - whatjohnseating —whatsjohneating
Test Kitchen Notes
This is one of the most interesting dishes I have tried from Food52. The soup itself is very aromatic, with only a hint of sweetness and a nice blend of flavors. Without a doubt, though, the star of the soup is the Strawberry Balsamic Compote. While whatsjohneating states in his recipe description that the compote is optional -- ignore him. It is one of the most flavorful, interesting compotes I have come across and would be wonderful on wild game as well (perhaps with a substitution of raspberries). The compote has a nice juxtaposition of flavors, the onions melding into the sharpness of the balsamic and tempered by the slight sweetness of the berries and hint of sugar. The gazpacho itself is light and refreshing, without being overly sweet or cloying, and the hit of heat from the pepper at the end is a nice lingering surprise. The two together are heaven. Wonderful cold soup for a hot summer day -- paired with a glass of prosecco... perfect! A few notes: I cooked my compote down about 12 minutes, stirring at the end frequently until it had almost a glaze-like consistency. I chilled my soup and compote overnight -- it tempered the spiciness of the pepper a bit. - coffeefoodwritergirl —The Editors
Ingredients
- Strawberry Gazpacho
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1 pound
tomatoes
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1 pound
fresh strawberries
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2
cloves of garlic
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1/2
serrano pepper, seeded
-
1/2
large red pepper
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1/4
medium red onion
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1/4 cup
fresh chive
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15
leaves of fresh mint
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1 cup
tomato juice
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splashes of each of the following: lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, red wine, balsamic vinegar
- Strawberry Balsamic Compote
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1/2
red onion
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1 pound
fresh strawberries, 3/4 rough chop, 1/4 diced
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2 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar
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2 tablespoons
cane sugar
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1/4 cup
water
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2 tablespoons
chives, minced
Directions
- Strawberry Gazpacho
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Rough chop, blend, chill in the fridge for at least .5 hours. While it's sitting you can make the compote, which requires only a little more attention.
- Strawberry Balsamic Compote
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Sauté onions in olive oil until they are translucent. Add the rough chopped strawberries and sauté for a couple minutes more and then add the balsamic vinegar, cane sugar, and water. Turn it down and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and mash the strawberries lightly with a fork. Then, add the chives and the rest of the strawberries. Allow the heat to wilt the chives and then chill.
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