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My family enjoys chilled soups, especially gazpacho, during the hotter months. Last time out, I decided to adapt my basic gazpacho recipe and smoke the vegetables a little instead of just processing them raw. The result was a hit with everyone. The smoked vegetables added a whole new dimension and depth to the flavor. I thought that I would post the recipe.

Smoked Vegetable Gazpacho

A. Ingredients
1. 3 lbs large tomatoes
2. 1 large seedless cucumber
3. 2 red bell peppers
4. 2 yellow bell peppers
5. 3 large jalapeno peppers
6. 2 large Vidalia onions
7. 8 cloves garlic
8. 2� piece of ginger � peeled and grated or finely minced
9. Juice of 3 limes
10. � cup olive oil
11. � cup red wine vinegar
12. � cup mixed chopped herbs such as basil / rosemary / thyme
13. 2 cups spicy V-8 juice
14. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
15. Thinly sliced scallions, diced Serrano ham, chopped hard boiled egg (optional)

B. Method
1. Place tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onions, and garlic (wrapped loosely in foil) in a pre-heated smoker at 250F with 2-3 ounces of apple wood. After 1 hour, remove tomatoes. After 2 hours, remove cucumber and peppers. After 2 � hours, remove onions and garlic.
2. After vegetables cool, remove skin, seeds, and chop coarsely. Transfer vegetables, in batches, to a food processor, and puree. Reserve vegetables in a large stockpot.
3. Add ginger and lime juice to the pot and blend with a stick blender. Gradually add olive and continue blending. Blend in vinegar, herbs, and spicy V-8 juice.
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Refrigerate at least 5 hours to become thoroughly chilled and to allow flavors to blend.
6. Ladle into soup bowls and serve. Sprinkle with scallions, ham, and egg, if using.

Note: The resulting consisency is a little chunky (which I prefer). If a thinner consistency is desired, add more V-8 juice, or a little water, and stir well before refrigerating.
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KE / SJ.....

Thanks for the compliments. The cilantro and oregano will work just fine along with any other herbs that you prefer. If you like fresh mint, a little bit of that adds a different touch.

Though I peek in from time to time, I have not been around much since I've spending most life in airplanes. In Mexico City now and was supposed to go to Houston for a meeting today but that's obviously not going to happen. So, it's off to Miami then on to my house in Sarasota for a long weekend. Back in the aluminum tube next week to Europe.

Take care.
i sell roasted ,smoked bell peppers and also roast eggplant at the brisbane markets. i found the best way to cook the vegs is to;
slice the bells down the sides, making four slabs. lightly grease oven pan, salt and bake at good temp till just cooked. lay cooked capsicum on cs grill , and smoke lightly (personal taste) with 2 oz hickory till smoke finishes, remove , cool. same with the eggplant. i then pack into 200g lots , olive oil and vac seal. its really just a twist on roast itallian veges. very popular here for salads.
we live at gatton, qld. named qlqs salad bowl. i do the farmers markets in brisbane. jan powers markets. once a week she rents a cricket field or park in the middle of brisbane. all stalls are food orientated; farmers, hobby farmers, food entrepreners, germans snags (hot) fresh seafood, strawberrys dipped in chocklate (fresh) award winning brie, cammenbert cheeses from goats and cows, smoked trout (me) organic stone ground bread, organic beef pork chooks, pates dips, soups, tapinades, jams, etc,etc,etc, as well as all the vege stalls. no bric-a-brac. no furniture ,cloths etc. just up market food. she charges us $120 per stall. get there 6am, finnish 12am. sunday one week, saturday the next. there are buskers, music, clown acts, town clowns.... its a busy , bright , colourful day.
i sell trout. and trout pate. i have sold smoked veges. people love them but i didn't have a cryovac to give them a long enough shelf life. now i do. that is why im suddenly , desperately, trying to learn to smoke chooks etc, so i can sell at the markets. trout ive done on a large scale. chooks ive done with nitrates. mussells ive nearly down pat. veges are easy.
im just a bush cook. mum had pubs and did the cooking sometimes, i guess i learned some things. but a chef im not.

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