Spicy Smoky Gazpacho with Spanish Chorizo

At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs. When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.

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Ingredients

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 Fresno chile
  • 2 pound ripe red tomatoes (roughly chopped, juices retained)
  • ½ cucumber (peeled and seeded)
  • ½ small red onion (chopped)
  • 2/3 cup roughly chopped smoked almonds (divided)
  • 1 slice stale bread (torn into 1-inch pieces)
  • 3 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 2 clove garlic (peeled and chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked sea salt (can substitute standard sea salt)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 18 slice Spanish dry-cured chorizo
  • chopped flat leaf parsley(to taste)

 

Directions

Roast the peppers: Char the bell pepper and Fresno chile by laying them, one at a time, directly over a gas flame, turning occasionally with tongs until blackened on all sides. Place them in a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, set aside until cool; rub off the blackened skin, remove stems and seeds, then roughly chop them.

Prepare the gazpacho: Place roasted red bell pepper, roasted fresno chile, tomatoes and their juice, cucumber, onion, half the smoked almonds, bread, sherry vinegar, garlic, smoked paprika, smoked salt and pepper in a blender. Process until as smooth as you like, adding a splash of water if necessary to achieve the proper consistency. It should move freely in the blender, but not be watery (add one ingredient at a time and blend thoroughly before adding another if all the ingredients don’t initially fit).

Once all the ingredients are smooth, drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running until fully incorporated and emulsified.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to come together.

To serve: Just before serving, Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo slices and cook until they begin to curl at the edges and brown. Flip them over and cook until browned on the other side.

Serve the chilled gazpacho in shallow soup bowl, garnished with chorizo slices, remaining chopped smoked almonds, parsley and a drizzle of very good olive oil.

 

From sippitysup.com, by Greg Henry