This month in our blog series we would like to present you a Spanish classic: the gazpacho. Whether you are in Germany or in Majorca – this recipe should be tried on a hot summer day.
There is no need to have a refined palate to realize that tomatoes from Majorca taste especially good and are exceptionally juicy. Did you ever smell a Majorcan tomato? It smells delicious! It seems like the tomato caught the sun of the island! A requirement is that it really is sun-ripened, which means that it was harvested in the middle / end of July. Because even on the island, many tomatoes are cultured in a greenhouse, since there is a demand for it in many different varieties throughout the whole year on the markets.
Hanging tomatoes and oxtail
Different varieties are being cultivated on over 250 hectares on the island, whereby a yearly income of approximately 12.000 tons of tomatoes is being generated. A famous type is the “tomato to hang”, the “tomaquet de penjar”, which is also referred to as the “winter tomato”. The same applies for the oxheart, which is cultivated as “cou de bou” on the island. Also popular is the dark red to black “kumato”, the round salad tomato “tomate bola” and the “tomate pera”, the pear-shaped bottle tomato. A very special one is the “tomate de ramallet”, because it is endemic.
The Pamboli-Tomato
This rather pale tomato with a thick, protecting skin is long lasting after being harvested. This is the reason, why it is often hung on a string. It is being cultivated since the 16th century and is since then an indispensable ingredient for the islands cuisine. Especially in rice-based dishes but particularly for the “Pa amb oli”. This bread with oil is apparently eaten in every bar and pub: on a piece of Majorcan farmhouse bread, the ramallet-tomato is squeezed out and drizzled with olive oil and salt. Some people also rub some garlic into it. Optionally, the bread is being covered with mahón-cheese, serrano-ham or “sweet“ ham, fuet- or other sausages. Additionally, Majorcan olives, pickled sea-fennel and a few capers are eaten. Done is the Majorcan breakfast, the easy lunch dish, snack or dinner.
Nonstop usage
There are not many typical dishes, which are not prepared with any type of tomato. In the form of a sauce, a brew, a vegetable, mashed, boiled, raw, etc. Preferably, the tomato is eaten with its favourite companions: onion and garlic. Popular dishes with those ingredients range from lamb leg until the fillet of mackerel and from the Majorcan tumbet-vegetables until the trampo-summer salad. And of course, you should not miss out the ice-cold tomato soup, the classical gazpacho. The tomato is everywhere and grows everywhere: in every backyard or garden and even in the balcony boxes.
Healthy and low in calories
Originally, the red, round vegetable comes from South America. Spanish conquerors brought the tomato together with potatoes to Europe. Quickly its healthy advantages became word of mouth. Previously also called „golden apple“ or „love apple“, the tomato has a high amount of vitamin C, minerals (i.e. potassium) and trace elements. It prevents from radicals, coronary heart- and circulatory problems and arteriosclerosis. Only unripe, green tomatoes are not digestible and should not be eaten. It is also not advised to keep them in the fridge, because they will lose their taste and durability.
Gazpacho
Ideal for a hot summer day is our dish of the month, the gazpacho. Following you can find our recipe, which is easy to prepare and perfect to cool down, since the tomato soup is served ice-cold.
Ingredients
500 g tomatoes
1 green paprika, peeled and pitted
1 red paprika, peeled and pitted
2 cloves of garlic
½ salad cucumber
1 white onion
800 ml strained tomatoes
200 ml vegetable broth
50 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 small chilli
A little bit of sugar
Preparation
For the preparation, firstly cut all the vegetables in very small pieces. Add now the strained tomatoes, the cold vegetable broth, the vinegar, the oil, garlic and the small chili without seeds.
Season now the soup with salt, pepper and sugar. Serve the gazpacho ice-cold to ensure a cool-down effect.
We wish you a lot of fun cooking and enjoy your meal!
