In all its sweltering glory, I love the casual elegance of catering summer events! I can rely on the outdoors to provide stunning settings for garden parties, poolside barbecues and vineyard picnics. I can count on the season’s bounty to offer an abundance of colorful, delicious fare. Emerald green basil, sweet, succulent corn eaten raw right from the cob and a prolific selection of delicious, juicy heirloom tomatoes arrive fast and furious. And I smile.
However, sizzling summer entertaining at home can sometimes be daunting. So how do we beat the heat yet keep it simple and fun with a pinch of panache? Sometimes just a clever theme around your favorite food is all it takes. This healthy liquid salad buffet will surely quench your thirst. It’s ideal for an unrelenting warm evening and can be prepared with minimum fuss and maximum impact!
The Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho Buffet
- Appetizers: Bowls of Marcona Almonds and Oil-Cured Black Olives
- Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Selected Garnishes
- Freshly Baked Local Breads
- Several of Your Favorite Cheeses
- Platter of Fresh Summer Fruits
Day Before Make The Soup Base: Start with perfectly ripe tomatoes—one red and perhaps a yellow variety. You’ll need 3 to 3-1/2 pounds or about 6 large tomatoes of each variety to yield 1 quart of juice for each variety.
Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Then shock the tomatoes in ice water for several minutes. Slip off the skins and remove the cores. Coarsely chop the tomatoes saving all the juice. Add the chopped red tomatoes and juice to a blender set on low speed and process with _ cup of diced onion, 3 to 4 large cloves of garlic, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, several dashes of Tabasco, and sea salt to taste. Blend the mixture until smooth.
Repeat the same steps for the yellow tomatoes. Pour the juices into serving pitchers or soup tureens, cover and refrigerate overnight. If refrigeration (or freezer) space allows, chill your serving mugs or bowls and soup spoons.
Day of Service Prepare the Soup Garnishes: Quantities depend on how many garnishes you select. (Plan about _ cup of garnish for each cup of soup.) Some suggestions are sweet corn (cooked or raw); various colorful, diced heirloom tomatoes; diced shrimp; diced avocado; diced orange, yellow and red bell peppers; minced Serrano chili peppers; diced cucumbers; chopped scallions; lime wedges; minced fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro or Italian parsley. For buffet presentation, I like to use sectioned acrylic platters or bowls placed on large two-inch deep acrylic trays of crushed ice. The clear acrylic showcases the colorful garnishes. Use your imagination for presentation, but be sure to hold the gazpacho and garnishes over ice while on the buffet.
1 Hour to 30 Minutes Before Service: Place mugs or bowls, soupspoons and small plates on the buffet. Lay out the chilled gazpacho bases and selected garnishes. For the soup condiments, place sherry vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil, Tabasco, pepper mill Mexican crema or crème fraîche (on ice) on the buffet.
Here’s the Fun Part! Greet your guests with a choice of chilled sparkling water or cool glass of wine. Check with Betsy, our wine maven, for suggestions. Let your guests select a soup base and add their favorite garnishes and condiments. Enjoy the buffet with freshly baked breads. Serve cheese and fruit for dessert. Enjoy!
Buffet Décor Tip – Edible Centerpiece: Use whole green, red, orange or yellow bell peppers, varieties of heirloom tomatoes, a few cucumbers, “bouquets” of fresh herbs or your choice of other soup ingredients. You can wrap the herb stems in wet paper towels and tuck between the vegetables and tomatoes. The herbs will stay fresh and perky for about two hours.
