White Gazpacho - {Ajo Blanco}

Recipe Ingredients

3		Round day-old rustic bread loaf, 1"-thk
2 cups	474ml	Ice water - divided
2		Garlic cloves - crushed
1 cup	93g / 3.3oz	Whole blanched almonds - ground
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1/3 cup	78ml	Olive oil - plus
2 tablespoons	30ml	Olive oil* - divided
1 1/2 tablespoons	22ml	Aged sherry vinegar - or to taste
2 cups	474ml	Baby lettuces of different colors
1 cup	237ml	Edible flower petals
3		Fresh black mission figs - quartered

Recipe Instructions

* Use a light, fruity olive oil, preferably Andalusian. Andalusian olive oil is available online from tienda.com or spanishtable.com. Do not use a peppery oil, such as Tuscan.

Remove the crusts from the bread slices and tear two of the slices into bits. Soak in one-half cup of ice water for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain in a small sieve, pressing to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Crumble into a blender.

Add the garlic, almonds, salt and one-half cup or more of the water to the blender, and blend to form a paste. With the blender running at the highest speed, drizzle one-third cup of the olive oil through the feed tube to emulsify.

Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and the remaining 1 cup of water. The consistency should be that of very thick cream or very thin mayonnaise. Add a little more vinegar and/or salt to taste, if desired. Chill the soup for at least 2 hours so the flavors develop.

For the garnish, cut the remaining slice of bread into quarter-inch cubes. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet, and cook the bread cubes to form golden brown croutons. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Place the soup in a glass pitcher. Pile a small heap of the lettuce in the middle of a soup plate and top with flower petals, 2 fig quarters and some croutons. To serve, bring the pitcher to the table and pour the soup around the lettuce and figs in each bowl.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Each serving: 373 calories; 7 grams protein; 23 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 30 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 329 mg. sodium.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 08-13-2003

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