Tuesday, April 8, 2014

G is for Goats and Gazpacho

G
There are all kinds of goats,  in fact there are over 300 distinct breeds according to Wikipedia Domestic_goat_feeding_on_capeweedwhich has masses of interesting information. Domestic goats and sheep are closely related. Goats are one of the oldest domesticated species, and have been used for their milk, meat, hair, and skins over much of the world. In 2011, there were more than 924 million live goats around the globe. Females are known as “does” or “nannies” and male goats as “bucks” or “billies”, juveniles are “kids”. Castrated goats are “wethers”. Don’t remember ever hearing that before. This picture shows a domestic goat feeding in a field of capeweed, a plant which is toxic to most stock animals but not goats. I remember when I was 15 staying with a French family who had a goat and we learned to catch the horns in our hands so we didn’t get hurt. Goats in my experience, have a tendency to be aggressive, they are also curious and very intelligent.

I first ate Gazpacho in Malta at the Sheraton Hotel. I loved it from the get go. The original version of this soup was made with a pestle and mortar but these days we are both short of time and lazy so we tend to use blenders. Pity because it changes the texture. I personally love the garnishes, but as you will see, the author of this recipe is against them. Also, in the early days in Spain, this was not refrigerated, they didn’t have fridges, so the soup was often left in the shade of a tree to cool. Some recipes use a splash of Worcestershire sauce for seasoning too and that wouldn’t have been available in old Spain.

Gazpacho

Source: Mediterranean Cooking for PleasureGazpacho
Robin McDouall

Serves 6

1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper
1/2 cucumber (English style)
salt and pepper
parsley
fresh basil
1 thick slice white bread, without crust
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups water

Chop all the ingredients, except the bread which you soak in water. Pound all (including the bread) together in a mortar or, though not so good, put them through a blender. Mix in the olive oil. Then add the water, gradually, whisking well. Serve very cold – if you like with an ice cube in each plate.
In restaurants you often get little dishes of finely chopped tomato, pepper, cucumber and toasted bread – a mistake in my opinion – which you sprinkle into your soup

Have a great day
Jo (2)

40 comments:

  1. HI Jo, I have a special affinity with goats being a Capricorn and all, I never knew that the females were called nannies. Gazpacho is something I have never made or eaten before...I am usually very adventurous but I just can't get my head around making a cold soup, I promise if I go to Spain I will try it one day. Hope you are enjoying the #atozchallenge

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    1. Oh Ida, you really should. Then there is Vichysoisse, one of the world's greatest cold soups. Gazpacho is like drinking a salad, kind of.

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  2. Hi Jo - love goats particularly after my time in South Africa and my visit to Portugal with my mother ...and goat's cheese is delicious!

    Gazpacho was an all time favourite of mine when I started cooking ... such a good fresh meal ... but I enjoyed the croutons ... because they'd soak up some of the gazpacho and one could mush the salty garlicky croutons with the tomato flavours ... just a different texture ... but Gazpacho is a wonder food to me!

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. Yes goats are amazing really. Yes, I love Goat's cheese too.

      I love Gazpacho, have eaten in it many places as well as made my own.

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  3. Believe it or not, I spent one whole week travelling in Switzerland and never saw one goat or any sheep. I know they had to be somewhere.

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    1. Incredible, I am sure they have goats in Switzerland.

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  4. That soup looks great! Always looking for something new rather than the old vegetable recipe I have overdone.

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  5. What's the name for an old goat (like me)? No kidding allowed!

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  6. Our friend has a goat herd at Faversham - Ellie's Dairy (Ellie was one of their original 3 goats and the sketch I did of her is used as the Dairy's logo). They are Toggenburg goats and the cheese made from their milk is delicious.

    David can't eat anything containing cucumber but one of our favourite Spanish restaurants on Fuerteventura features a variation on traditional Gazpacho - made with apples. It is delicious and apparently authentic as the chef's Mother and Grandmother passed the recipe down to him

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    1. How nice to be able to get fresh goat cheese from the farm. Lucky you.

      I would be interested in a recipe for that if they will part with it.

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    2. I'll ask Manolo next time we're out there. I tried Googling the recipe but there are lots of variations - better to find out about the one we've tried and liked.

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    3. Thanks Sue, I hope he is prepared to share. Some chefs won't do so.

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  7. Falmouth Village - home of the goat races, is where I live, and my favorite's are the fainting goats!

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    1. Fainting goats, I think I have seen them on TV. Don't they just keel over for no apparent reason and then get up shortly after?

      Falmouth to me is England, don't know Falmouth Village.

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  8. Interesting post! Gazpacho is a good recipe for me to have on hand during the summer months when I'm always wondering what to do with the garden's bounty. As for goats, I even went so far as to attend a goat raising seminar, but they seem too tricky for me to tackle on our farm. I'll stick with fruit and vegetables for now!

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    1. If you haven't made it, do try it, it's an absolutely gorgeous summer soup. If you grow leeks and potatoes, try vichysoisse too.

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  9. Goat Gazpacho. No, that doesn't sound very good. Wouldn't put the two together.

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    1. No, but maybe at the same meal. Is all this extra work getting to you Alex?

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  10. Gazpacho is such a great dish! I love it on a warm summer's day.

    http://www.thingsmymothertaught.com

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    1. Me too. Have you ever tried jellied beef consommé. I love that as well.

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  11. Goats and can aggressive. They don't eat what they are supposed to, either. Someone gave my mom a goat years ago with the idea it would keep the grass trimmed for her. It never did eat grass, but it sure liked her flowers. She had to keep it in a pen and away from her flowerbeds. Kinda defeated the purpose.

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    1. Funny story really although I bet your mom didn't think so at the time.

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  12. I think goats are cute. They used to keep them at the wastewater plant my dad worked at to eat the grass near the ponds. Some of the bigger ones were kind of mean, though.

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    1. They can certainly be kinda mean. But as the commenter before you said, they don't always eat what they are supposed to.

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  13. I'd rather have the gazpacho than the goat any day of the week!

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    1. If I could be assured of getting a nannie, I could use the milk for cheese which I enjoy. I could have the Gazpacho first.

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  14. If I ever have a plot of land, I would get some goats. They are hardy animals, altho a bit testy.

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  15. You are a brave woman to wrestle goats...
    Love me some gazpacho. Will have to give this a try, though I think I will use my fridge...
    Tina @ Life is Good
    A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

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    1. More like a daft teenager.

      I use my fridge too Tina.

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  16. I believe I will be Gazpacho-hunting in restaurants after reading your post. I have completely no skill at all in the kitchen so it doesn't help even if I have a recipe to follow...

    Visiting you from the A to Z April Challenge. Cheers!

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    1. Thanks for dropping by. Sorry you can't make it yourself. I hope you manage to find it somewhere. You don't see it a lot these days.

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  17. I haven't made gazpacho for ages and tomatoes are really good here at the moment. Maybe for lunch?

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    1. Wish I could join you Helen. I haven't made it a long time either. Really need to when next we have summer, if ever that happens this year.

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