Photo by Heidi Harris
Joseph Marini's Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho Cups
Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho served in small glass cups makes a delicious amuse bouche or hors d’oeuvre. This version of the the chilled tomato and cucumber soup gets a kick of spice and boldness from chili powder, za’atar croutons, and a garnish of crumbled goat cheese. Using za’atar croutons in this recipe rather than plain bread brings an earthy flavor to the bright taste of a pureed soup made from raw, fresh ingredients.
Makes 2 quarts
For the Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 6 ripe heirloom tomatoes in varied colors
- 6 Scallions, white and green portion
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2½ cups za’atar croutons
- Feta cheese for garnish
Directions
1 | Score the skins of the tomatoes in a large “X” pattern. Dunk them into a pot of boiling water along with the whole garlic cloves for 30 seconds, then remove and allow to sit for a few minutes. Reserve the garlic.
2 | Gently peel the skin from the tomatoes and remove the core. Rough chop the tomatoes, place them in a bowl, and sprinkle with half of the salt. Toss and allow to sit for 10–15 minutes.
3 | Peel and seed the cucumber. Rough chop, place in a bowl, and salt with the remaining salt. Allow to sit for 10–15 minutes.
4 | Zest and juice the lemon and set aside.
5 | Pour the liquid from the tomatoes and cucumbers into a bowl, and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and chili powder. Toss with the croutons and allow them to soak up the liquid.
6 | In the bowl of a food processor, add the tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, pesto, scallions, parsley, and croutons with any remaining juice from the tomatoes and cucumber. Process on high until smooth. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify it. Adjust salt if needed. If it needs to be loosened a bit, drizzle in hot water with the food processor running until your desired consistency is reached.
7 | Chill for 30 minutes and serve in small glass cups. Garnish with some crumbled feta cheese.
For the Croutons
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of sourdough bread
- 4 teaspoons za’atar spice
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 big pinches of Maldon salt
Directions
1 | Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2 | Trim the skin off the loaf of bread and discard. Slice the loaf into 1½″ cubes.
3 | In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and the za’atar. Toss the bread in the oil mixture so that it is fully coated. Crushing the Maldon salt with your fingers, sprinkle it on the bread, and toss again.
4 | Lay the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the croutons over with tongs and place them back in the oven for another 5–10 minutes until they are golden brown.
5 | Let cool on the tray and store in an airtight container.
See Joseph’s tips for making amuse bouches and four more delicious amuse bouche recipes.
By Joseph Marini
Photography by Heidi Harris
Excerpted from Mastering the Art of Entertaining (SparkPress, 2023).
“I’m often asked why I love entertaining so much. It took me a long time to understand the answer to this. Fitting in, even sometimes within a family, can be difficult. By entertaining, I was allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to be seen for who I was. It allowed me to create a group of family and friends that would truly see and appreciate my authenticity. I now realize the rewards of living intentionally and opening up m home (and heart) to bring people together over food.”
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