Cool, Easy, Exotic: Moroccan Gazpacho

 Photo by my friend, Jennifer Haas

Cool, Easy, Exotic:  Moroccan Gazpacho

by Victoria Challancin

As I was scrolling through the lovely Kristen's Raw blog one day, I was instantly grabbed by her title: Moroccan Gazpacho...You have to try this!  Well, I certainly did have to try it.  I mean, gazpacho and Moroccan flavors all rolled into one?  Why hadn't I thought of this before?  

We know that I am not on a raw diet, but we also know that I am a true Moroccophile and lead groups there each year.  So an easy recipe using favorite spices with Moroccan flavor principles and lovely fresh local produce is just made for me.  Made for me, perhaps, but not for all of my Mexico cooks, with whom I prepared this one day in class.  One of my favorite students and an accomplished cook, Elvie, wrinkled her nose and pronounced it "strange."  Not for me--for my taste this is a perfect recipe and an exotic interpretation of a beloved stand-by recipe.

My friend, Jennifer, happily snapped these photos while I was teaching class.  Thank you, Jennifer.

                                                                                                                                                           Photo by Jennifer Haas

Cook's Notes:  I kept the ingredients the same, but wrote up the instructions in my own way.  I also toasted the pine nuts and recommend toasting whole spices and grinding them unless your spices are just really fresh!  Honey could be substituted for the agave nectar and regular sea salt for the Himalayan, though I used the ingredients as Kristen gave them.  Thank you, Kristen, for this new addition to my recipe file.

Recipe:  Moroccan Gazpacho

(Recipe by Kristen, of Kristen's Raw blog)

For the gazpacho:

1 cup water

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For garnish:

1 chopped, seeded tomato

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

Blend all of the ingredients for the soup in a blender.  Pulse in the cilantro until roughly chopped.  Serve chilled, garnished with the diced tomato, pine nuts, and raisins.

Enjoy!

Parting Shot:  Moroccan Heads

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

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