Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho &
Leek and Olive Salad

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Anna Welander:

A woman is overweight, so her doctor puts her on a diet. "I want you to
eat normally for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure
for two weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least five
pounds." When the woman returns she's lost nearly 20 pounds. "Why,
that's amazing!" the doctor says. "Did you follow my instructions?"

The woman nods. "I'll tell you, though, I thought I was going to drop
dead that third day."

"From hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor.

"No, from all that skipping."

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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I know that more than one reader will want to point out that one
of the best things about making gazpacho is that it requires no
cooking, and I'm not going to argue with that. I'll simply point out
that roasting the vegetables in this recipe enhances their flavor.

All recipes this week are adapted from "The Best Recipes in
the World" by Mark Bittman, available from Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767906721/worldwiderecipes

Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

2 lbs (900 g) tomatoes, cored and halved
1 medium eggplant (aubergine), peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium zucchini (courgettes), cut into large chunks
2 red or yellow bell peppers (capsicums), cored, seeded, and halved
2 onions, peeled and quartered
About 10 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
4 cups (1 L) water
4 slices stale white bread
1/4 cup (60 ml) sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Croutons for garnish

Combine the tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onions,
garlic, and olive oil in a large roasting pan, stirring to coat the
vegetables with the oil. Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven
for 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and oil to a large
bowl and add the water, bread, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Puree in batches in an
electric blender or food processor and strain to remove any
seeds and skins. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper
if necessary and serve with croutons. Serves 4 to 6.

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You don't often run across recipes calling for raw leeks, and
after you taste this refreshing Mediterranean salad you'll
wonder why.

Leek and Olive Salad

4 leeks, white part only, sliced, thoroughly rinsed, and drained
2 tomatoes, halved horizontally, seeded, and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled if desired, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) pitted black olives, preferably oil-cured
3 Tbs (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs (15 ml) lemon juice or red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped parsley or cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish

Combine the leeks, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives in a salad bowl.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss
with the vegetables. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Jun 12 07:38:23 2007