Gazpacho with Saffron Spiced Chickpeas

This recipe brings a rich variety of summer vegetables together in a delicious cold soup that can be made ahead and saved in the refrigerator until dinner time. A garnish of Saffron Spiced Chickpeas adds a flavorful twist to the Gazpacho and can double as a nutritious appetizer or snack.

Spring Produce

The weatherman was right. The gray clouds are gone and the sky is a beautiful shade of blue. Temperatures are soaring. Spring is here and summer is on its way.

You can see it at the market. The produce aisle is bright with fresh vegetables. Now that the light has changed the produce looks even more enticing in its rich vibrant hues. I want to bring home one of everything, just to look at it. What’s more, local farmers markets are opening in many locations offering even more choices for buying fresh local produce.

People all over are getting out to shop for flowers, herbs and fresh vegetables. With all of this beautiful fresh produce for sale the challenge is to find interesting ways to share it around the table. It is time to try new garden-fresh salads, combine fresh market finds into intriguing salsa and to get creative with soups and sides.

Gazpacho Season

With the soaring temperature and the fun summer vibes I can’t help but think of Gazpacho. Gazpacho makes use of so many wonderful vegetables and brings them together in a delicious cold soup that can be made ahead and saved in the refrigerator until dinner time.

This recipe for Gazpacho comes from my new cookbook, Spain and the World Table. It calls for a rich and colorful variety of vegetables including eggplant, peppers, onion and tomatoes. Then it adds a slight kick to the flavor with Tabasco sauce. It is a very refreshing soup on a warm day.

And don’t skip the garnish on this one. In fact, next time I think I will make a double batch of Saffron Spiced Chickpeas. The saffron adds an irresistible appeal to these roasted garbanzo beans. They are not only an interesting garnish for the Gazpacho but also work well as a delicious appetizer or snack.

Gazpacho with Saffron Spiced Chickpeas

Course: Appetizers, Soup, VegetablesCuisine: SpanishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

This recipe brings a rich variety of summer vegetables together in a delicious cold soup that can be made ahead and saved in the refrigerator until dinner time. The Saffron Spiced Chickpeas add a flavorful twist to the Gazpacho and can double as a nutritious appetizer or snack.

Ingredients

• Gazpacho

• 12 ounces Spanish onions (or yellow onions), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 1 pound green peppers

• 1 pound red peppers

• 1 jalapeno

• 1 pound eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 2 pounds tomatoes, halved

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup roasted garlic

• 8 ounces seedless cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

• Saffron Spiced Chickpeas (for garnish)

• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon saffron

• 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

• To Make Gazpacho:
• Brush the onions, peppers. eggplant, and tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Grill or roast until the vegetables are softened and browned and look easy to peel. Times will vary by vegetable from about four minutes for tomatoes up to about fifteen minutes for the peppers.
• Remove and discard skins and seeds. Put the grilled vegetables, garlic and cucumber in a food processor, or blender, in batches. Fill the food processor, or blender, to a reasonable level and blend until smooth. Then pour contents into a large bowl and repeat with the remaining vegetables until all have been blended. Stir the batches together in the large bowl until well combined.
• Add the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato juice and Tabasco sauce. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• To Make Saffron Spiced Chickpeas:
• Place drained chickpeas on an lightly greased backing sheet and roast at 375F for about 35 minutes, or until the beans are golden brown.
• Meanwhile – mix olive oil, cayenne pepper, saffron, hot paprika, dried thyme and salt, blending well. As soon as the chickpeas are removed from the oven, toss them with the spice mix.
• Garnish each bowl of Gazpacho with 2 Tablespoons of the Saffron Spiced Chickpeas. Spread any remaining chickpeas out to cool. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

• Recipe Source: Spain and the World Table from the Culinary Institute of America.
• A can of drained chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) can be substituted for the soaked chickpeas in this recipe.