The Perfect Summer Soup

Some people love soup, no matter what season. Take for example my mom she makes soup every week regardless the hot Dominican weather. Me not so much I like my soup according to the weather !

Since I am trying to start my blog from cooking basics and soup is definitely basic I though….well how about summer soups! Delicious, refreshing and easy. I’m talking about very Mediterranean cold soups!
Today we are going to be making Spanish Gazpacho also called salmorejo. This colorful summer dish can be served either as a cold soup or as a refreshment.

Made out of basic Spanish ingredients such as fresh plump tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, this was originally used as a way to recycle old bread by the Spaniards.

One of my favorite Gazpacho recipes of all time is this one from my little precious book Classic Spanish Cooking by Elisabeth Luard. Here it goes.

Ingredients.
2 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small cucumber or half a large one peeled and roughly chopped
2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped (peeled and with no seeds)
1 red bell pepper roughly chopped (cored, no seeds)
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar

Start by soaking the bread in a little cold water (about 2 tablespoons) also adding the vinegar and garlic.
Pour the soaked bread and the reaming ingredients into a blender and blend. Depending how you are serving it you want to add water until the right consistency, thicker for soup or thinner as refreshment.
Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Now your traditional Spanish Gazpacho is ready!

Transfer to a container or pitcher and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to make sure it chills.
**tip: don’t put ice in it to make it get colder faster this would just diluted and make it taste like your refrigerator.

Wonder how to serve it? well straight out of the refrigerator to the bowl if serving as a soup or short glass if serving it as a refreshment. You can accompany it with freshly toasted crostinis drizzled with olive oil and thinly sliced jamon Serrano.


If you have any questions, want a recipe or tips for an specific soup just leave a comment and Ill gladly help you.
Hope you enjoy it as I am going to.
Till next time,
Fran

Kitchen Essentials

You want to cook! You want to make delicious recipes! you want to master that space in your house that you so often run away from!... well let's do it!

The first thing first. Let’s check if you have the essential kitchen tools and utensils, things that you cant be missing from your cocina. Below is a handy list I have prepare for you with the kitchen must haves. What Ill recommend is for you to print out this list and start checking off to see what you are missing.





Chef KnifeThe most essential of them all.
If you are going to invest good money in any tool this should be it. Working with a sharp good quality knife is going to help you cut and work faster around all the different kinds of produce and meats. Check around specialized stores and ask for help so you pick the ideal one for you.





Paring KnifeA handy tool for small tasks. My favorite brand is Kuhn Rikon very popular around chefs and cooks because they are affordable and durable.





Swivel bladed peelersA time saver when you are peeling produce and very important when it comes to your hands and fingers safety.





Cutting BoardWell you need a safe surface when using your knives right?! a bamboo cutting board is it! They are made out of different materials but bamboo ones are the most durable and hygienic choice.





SpatulasRubber spatulas are efficient and helpful when pouring, mixing, turning, spreading, scraping.... etc. Having two different types is key; a rubber spatula for cold or room temperature foods and a heat resistant one when handling hot foods. To learn more about spatulas and their use check out Ode to Rubber Spatula by Marnely Rodriguez





StrainerEverybody has their pet peeves, well mine is passing everything through a strainer! Its because strainers are MAGICAL! They can take a lumpy sauce or puree and turn it around making it nice and velvety. Plus its other basic uses of course hahaha...





Measuring cups and spoonsWhen following recipes is good to be accurate and measure everything. A slight change of measurement in an ingredient can misbalance the whole end product specially when baking.





WhiskUse to whisk, blend and whip whip whip away! Important when making sauces, foams and others.





Rolling pinHey we are also going to be baking here you know! so make sure you have one to roll out the delicious dough’s we are going to be baking.





BlenderYou might already have one but this is a handy tool when pureeing, so keep it in good shape!

Other things that you should keep in mind and check around for are: a sharpening stone or steel to keep your knives sharp, you risk more using a dull knife then a sharp one. Also check for pots, pans and sauce pans and a thermometer.

That’s the list for now hope you get your engine started with this!
'till next time
Fran

Hello World!

Hi!

I am Francys Sandoval, a young professional chef from Dominican Republic who is dying to share all her knowledge and secrets with you!
So come and join me on this journey, read and learn about kitchen basics while testing delicious recipes so the kitchen becomes your favorite place

Enjoy!

Fran