Saturday, April 20, 2013

Green Gazpacho


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You know Spring is here when you see the gorgeous and vibrant green asparagus at the market stands.  Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables to prepare and I couldn't help but to grab a few bunches whenever I see them available.  Can you believe we’re having 80+ F. degree in April?  After living in L.A. for so many years, I’m not surprise though.  With the hot weather, it’s very natural that I crave for something light and refreshing, such as gazpacho.  Gazpacho is usually a tomato-based, vegetable soup, traditionally served cold, originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. Gazpacho is widely consumed in Spanish cuisine, as well as in neighboring Portugal, where it is known as gaspacho.  Did you know that my hubby is half Portuguese?  No wonder he likes this soup a lot.  

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In this Green Gazpacho, I used asparagus, spinach, Lindsay Naturals’ California Green Ripe Olives, fresh mint leaves, a little lemon juice and some vegetable stock for the soup base.  Then, I top it all off with some sweet and juicy jumbo lump crab meat, a few rounds of Lindsay’s olive for texture, a dollop of crème fraîche for creaminess, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnish with a spring of mint.  It was the most refreshing soup I've ever tasted!  If you want to keep it vegetarian, you can skip the crab meat.  But I’m telling you, the sweetness from the crab meat really matches wonderfully with this light and healthy soup.

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As I mentioned above, I used Lindsay Naturals’ California Green Ripe Olives in the soup.  They are pretty mild, yet very buttery and smooth.  The taste is slightly salty and nutty.  They are definitely my favorite olives to use.  Make sure you use this kind and not the one from the jar for this recipe as the later ones tend to be too strong and salty for the soup. 

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I save a few and cut them in rounds to garnish the soup.  They make a great snack as well and my Daughter is a big fan.  You can serve this soup as an appetizer or a side dish.  How about serving a bigger portion and call it a meal?  That's what I did the other day and it was a satisfying lunch!

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Here goes the perfect spoonful of goodness.  A little bit of everything. 

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It was a light and refreshing lunch that I’ll be making very often this Spring.

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This would be festive and prefect for St. Patrick's Day too!


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Green Gazpacho: (Printable Recipe)
Servings: 4

2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups diced asparagus, ends trimmed
1 (6 oz) can Lindsay Naturals California Green Ripe Olives, save a few for garnish
2 cups spinach leaves
5 to 6 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup jumbo lump crab meat
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzle
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

In a medium sauce pan, bring vegetable stock to a boil, add asparagus and cook for 8 to 10 mins, or until tender.   Stir in olive, spinach, mint leaves and lemon juice and remove from heat.  Let the soup cool slightly.  Place soup in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste.  Chill soup in refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours. 

To serve, cut the reserved olives into rounds.  Then, divide chilled soup in serving bowls, top 2 tablespoons of crab meat in each bowl, add reserved olive rounds, dollop 1/2 a tablespoon of crème fraîche in each bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with a spring of fresh mint leave.  Enjoy.

83 comments:

  1. Gazpacho sounds so refreshing and definitely SCREAMS spring!! Happiness in a bowl.

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    1. Thank you, Joanne. Yes, it's definitely a Spring time kinda soup. I was a happy camper whenever I had one of these refreshing soup.

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  2. Very pretty gazpacho-just love the fresh vibrant green color and the olives on top ;-)

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    1. Thank you, Patty. Oh...it tastes really refreshing too. :) Can't wait to make it again.

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  3. I've definitely been in a green mood too :) This does look delicious. It doesn't get much better than asparagus and crab meat!

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    1. Thank you. I know...it feels so good after eating my dose of greens. ;) And yes, the asparagus and crab meat combination is the best.

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  4. Delicious and refreshing now that summer is coming...
    Very beautiful photos, as usual.
    Greetings from Spain.

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    1. Thank you, Laurel. Glad you like this. Yes, so refreshing and light. Can't wait to make more. :) Have a lovely Friday and a great weekend ahead.

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  5. Se ve irresistible me encanta el color verde sus fotos son alucinante, abrazos y abrazos.

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    1. Muchas gracias. Me alegro de que te encantará este verde. Me encanta la forma ligera y refrescante que es. :) ¿Tienes un fin de semana maravilloso. Tenga cuidado.

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  6. It was so toasty today that it feels like we've leaped right over spring and smack into summer already. A great soup to chill out with on days like this.

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    1. Thank you. Oh yeah, this is totally perfect for any hot day. I thought only L.A. area doesn't really have Spring weather! I'm surprised up north gets that toasty already! :) This soup will definitely helps chill out. Wish you a Happy Friday and wonderful weekend.

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  7. Cold soup? I have never tried having cold soup before and am keen to try (but not my old so Cantonese spouse who must drink hot hot soup). I can imagine the cold soup must be very refreshing. Just love how green your soup looks - and it is all natural green, no artificial coloring at all.

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    1. Thank you, Mun. Yeah, I prepare hot soup 99% of the time, Cantonese style too. :) And my hubby would only drink the very hot one. But it's nice to have this chilled soup for lunch for a change, especially in the summer.

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  8. Wow your gazpacho sounds quite unique and delicious. The ingredients you use I love and the color is a beautiful fresh brilliant shade of green. It's like a green smoothie topped with olives and shrimp. I can't wait to try this!

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    1. Thank you, Vicki. Oh, it's so refreshing and really simple to make. I'm sure you'll love it too. :) Let me know how it goes after you try it.

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  9. Amy, I admire your cooking skill and also love your great shots :)

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    1. Thank you, Esther. Hehe...this is such a simple soup and really not much skills needed. :P But thank you for your compliment. Wish you a wonderful weekend with your family.

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  10. Very fresh and tasty! Wonderful for the summer time.

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    1. Thank you, Angie. Oh yeah, it was so refreshing. :) Have a good weekend.

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  11. I love the color of this soup although I have no idea how it taste like lol! never had this kind of soup before ingredients not common around here.

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    1. Oh....this soup is very refreshing, yet very smooth and creamy. Wish I can send some over your way to try. It's perfect for hot weathers.

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  12. So cool and refreshing! Perfect for warmer months!

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    1. Thanks, Belinda. It was so good I can drink this everyday. :P Wish you a wonderful weekend.

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  13. I've never had green gazpacho! But I should - this looks terrific. Love the ingredients in this, too - really sounds wonderful. Thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like my creativity. :P I was trying to add whatever I have on hand and in season.

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  14. Amy, the colour of that soup is so vibrant and refreshing - fantastic. Cheers

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  15. Love the colour :) Gazpacho is so refreshing on a super hot day :)

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    1. Thank you, Daisy. Yeah, I love this vibrant green color too. :) Can't wait to make this soup again.

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  16. What beautiful photos you have! Do you mind me asking what type of camera you use? I'm looking to get a new one but am really hoping someone will tell me that a point and shoot camera can get beautiful food shots...?

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    1. For most of my pictures on my blog, I use a Nikon DSLR camera. But nowadays, the quality of most camera are pretty good. I often take food pictures with my cell phone and post on Instagram, and they are not bad either. I guess the lighting, angle, and setting makes a difference in the final picture as well. :)

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  17. Love the colour!! I am ready for spring now but Colorado isn't. We are expecting another snow storm today.
    I can make a pot of this gorgeous gazpacho and pretend warmer weather **sigh**

    Nazneen

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    1. Oh...hope you're getting warmer weather by now. Snow storm in April sounds harsh. Stay warm and dry my Dear!

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  18. I love me some gazpacho and this lively green version looks so good. I could eat half a jar of olives at one time, so the olives was the first thing that caught my eye! :)

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    1. Yeah..these green olives are so good. I can't help but snack on them as I cook too. :P

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  19. This gazpacho looks amazing. It will be great for summer and hot days. I love that there are crab meats in it. Yum!

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    1. Thank you! Yeah..the crab meats were so good in here. ;) Beat for hot weathers.

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  20. I love those Lindsay canned natural olives and use them to make my own herbed olives. I specifically went to the FM this weekend for asparagus and couldn't find any. :(

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    1. Oh yeah...I love these olives. And they make such a great snack. Hope you'll find some asparagus soon. I just got another bunch this week and they look even better than the last bunch. I'm sure the warmer weather helps.

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  21. Wow, your green gazpacho sounds terrific! I adore the classic version, but have never been tempted by the white/almond twist. A must try :)

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    1. Thank you, Liz. I think you'll love this green version. It's so good and easy to prepare too. :)

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  22. I had never considered making gazpacho out of asparagus! Looks delicious.

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    1. Thank you. Oh...you should give this a try. So good. :P

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  23. We are no where near the warm temperatures you are having, but I wouldn't say no to this soup. It looks so vibrant and pretty!

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    1. Thank you. Oh...hope you'll get some warm weather soon. :) This soup is simple and really lovely. Hope you'll give it a try soon.

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    1. Thank you, Gayathri. :) Glad you like it.

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    1. Yes, very different and very delicious. ;)

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  26. Wow, what color...I never would have thought to combine olives and asparagus.

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    1. :) Thank you, Karen. It was refreshing and yum. Gonna make it again tonight.

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  27. Who would have thought of putting asparagus into a cold gazpacho-like soup? Extraordinary idea! And the colour is breathtaking. Thank you for sharing this inventive hot-day recipe.

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    1. Thank you, Sissi. Glad you like my little creativity. :) It was a fun twist to the old classic, and a delicious one too.

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  28. Very creative take on gazpacho! I love green soups, perfect for the spring!!

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    1. Thank you, Natalie. :) Yes, I love this green soup so much that it's been appearing on my dinner table quite often lately.

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  29. Looks awesome Amy...love the flavor and the color is amazing...
    Hope you are enjoying your week :)

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    1. Thank you, Juliana. Glad you like this soup. Wish you a wonderful week ahead too.

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  30. Amy, what a great twist on gazpacho. Can't wait to try!

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    1. Thank you, Abbe. Oh, it was a fun and delicious twist on the classic soup.

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  31. I've never tried gazpacho before but I love the look of your version. So vibrant and beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Trishie. Glad you love my version. It's refreshing and perfect for the hot weather. My family loves it.

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  32. Your green gazpacho soup is so vibrant and pretty. I bet the crab is really nice as a flavor contrast to the healthy veggies.

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    1. Thank you. Oh yeah...the sweet crab was so good in this soup. I can't wait to make it again. It's definitely a dish that will make you feel good after eating.

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  33. This is such a refreshing soup Amy! Perfect for those hot nights when you don't want to have heat in the house. I really dig the lumb crab meat in here. Delicious! Lovely post.. :)

    Anne ~ Uni Homemaker

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    1. Thank you, Anne. Glad you like this soup too. It is perfect for warmer weather. And I made a pot the day before and let it chilled for the next day, so good.

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  34. Spring gaspacho sounds absolutely delightful! I especially love the fact that you used green olives, too... Those very green olives changed my entire view on the ingredient. I've never found any others that are so tender or buttery. It's just a shame that the brand is tough for me to find around here.

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    1. Oh yeah...those are some very awesome olives. I love the mild and buttery taste as well. Sorry it's not easy for you to find. Check out this link:
      http://www.lindsayolives.com/where-to-buy/overview.html

      You can search to see if there's a store near your area that carries their products. Hope it helps.

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  35. LOVE the perfect shade of green you have here and never thought to make a gazpacho like this but I love how your mind works!!!

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like my recipe and little creativity. :) I love this very green combination and flavors.

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  36. magnifique préparation ça donne très envie
    bonne soirée

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    1. Je vous remercie. Heureux que vous aimez ma recette. :)

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  37. Hi Amy, your comfort soup look awesome. I like the colour, very nice green.
    Thanks for sharing the interesting recipe.

    Best regards.

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    1. Thank you, Amelia. It was one refreshing soup that I'm making quite often lately. :)

      Wish you a wonderful rest of the week.

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  38. Thank you for your invitation. Will check it out right after.

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  39. this is such a lovely creation. i like the overall theme :)

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    1. Thank you, Danny. Glad you like this soup.

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  40. I've been on a total veggie kick lately, so green gazpacho is going on my list to try! :)

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    1. Yay...let me know how you like it if you tried. My family loves this soup.

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  41. This soup looks fantastic! I can not think of a better combination for a soup. You have a wonderful blog! I look forward to reading more! :)

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like my recipe. Hope to see you back again soon.

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  42. What a beautiful soup Amy! I just love vivid green recipes and both my husband and I enjoy asparagus, green olives, and spicy food! What a perfect fresh spring soup! Thank you for sharing!

    Happy Mother's Day!

    Roz

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    1. Thank you, Roz. Glad you like my green soup. Thank you for stopping by and wish you a wonderful week ahead. :)

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