Susan Feniger is known for her unique recipes dedicated to sharing the authentic flavors of food found all over the world. In Spain, when you order gazpacho in a bar, it’s served in a glass like a Bloody Mary. What a great idea! Another great idea is that this recipe from Susan Feniger’s Street Food (Clarkson Potter, July 2012) calls for fresh horseradish. This brown root, which is actually a member of the mustard family, can be found in the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets. Peel it with a knife as you might a potato. The tomato juice is key in this recipe, so make sure you use the very best available. Here, Susan uses an all-natural organic tomato juice made by R.W. Knudsen. If you can’t find that brand, substitute one of equal quality. Enjoy!
Spicy Tomato Gazpacho with Fresh Horseradish
Recipe from Susan Feniger’s Street Food by Susan Feniger
Serves 4 to 6
3 cups tomato juice
1½ cups sliced pale inner ribs of celery
4 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 red jalapeño pepper, sliced
3 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish
Juice of 1½ lemons
2½ tablespoons
Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon celery seeds
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Celery salt, for garnish Ice
1. Put 2 cups of the tomato juice and the celery, cucumbers, bell pepper, jalapeño, and horseradish in a blender. Puree on high speed for 3 minutes, until completely smooth. Strain the mixture, pressing on it with a rubber spatula, into a mixing bowl; discard the solids. Add the remaining 1 cup tomato juice, the lemon juice, and the Worcestershire sauce, celery seeds, paprika, and salt. Whisk together. Pour into a container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. To serve, press the rim of each highball or rocks glass into a damp towel and then onto a small plate of the celery salt. Put 3 to 4 ice cubes in each glass, fill with the gazpacho, and sprinkle the tops with a little paprika.
Note: If you want to turn this into a cocktail, start with 1 ounce of Ciroc vodka (or your favorite brand) per glass and then add the gazpacho.
