GOOD COOKING : Spicy Gazpacho Loses Its Cool in Tasty Spinoffs

Not too long ago, the standard summer refreshers were All-American and unsophisticated--watermelon, lemonade, ice cream and cold beer. Now gazpacho--that refreshingly cold summer soup-salad from Andalusia in southern Spain--has made the A list for keeping cool.

The popularity of gazpacho is not hard to understand. It is a true ‘90’s dish--it tastes great, is low in fat, filled with freshness, requires no cooking and, on top of all that, lasts for at least five days in the refrigerator. And, unlike stew, gazpacho is as good when it is just made as it is several days later.

I keep gazpacho on hand with great regularity; I prefer the gutsy, deep-flavored, tomato-based version. For my taste, the currently trendy white gazpacho (made with green grapes, white grape juice and wine), or green gazpacho (made with green vegetables and chicken broth) have much less appeal.

A full-bodied tomato-vegetable gazpacho makes a most satisfying meal--with or without additional garnishes. You can serve it with a loaf of crusty bread, a mixed green salad and wedge of cheese. A chilled light red wine would complete a perfect meal.

For spontaneous gazpacho-making, keep a can of tomato juice chilled in the refrigerator. Make the gazpacho while the vegetables are at their peak, then serve it up later in the week. Garnished with shellfish, chunks of chicken, cubes of firm goat cheese or hard-boiled eggs, the soup makes a hearty, substantial dish.

To vary its flavor, different herbs make an amazing difference; fresh basil suggests the Mediterranean, while minced cilantro combined with diced jicama and avocado give it a Southwestern flavor.

Gazpacho also makes a perfect base for other dishes--as in the recipes that follow. You’ll find that when the basic gazpacho is spicy and full-flavored, it enhances many recipes.

No surprises here, just a well-flavored, spicy tomato gazpacho that succeeds on its own as a chilled, refreshing soup-salad without any further embellishment; it also works extremely well as an ingredient in innumerable dishes. It’s best to seed the jalapeno pepper as well as to remove its membrane, which accounts for the pepper’s “heat.” There’s no sure way to measure the full (and variable) heat of a pepper until it’s too late, so play it safe.

BASIC GAZPACHO

1 jalapeno chile

2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large sweet onion (Vidalia, Texas Sweet or new Spanish), minced

2 large stalks celery, coarsely chopped

3 large pickling cucumbers, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice

6 large green onions, thinly sliced

1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1/3-inch dice

1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice

2/3 cup catsup

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Remove seeds and membranes from chile. Reserve seeds. Mince chile.

Combine minced chile, garlic, onion, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, red pepper, tomato juice, catsup and salt and pepper to taste in 4-quart bowl. Add chile seeds if more heat is desired.

Refrigerate, covered, up to 5 days. Serve gazpacho well chilled. Stir well and adjust seasonings. Makes about 13 cups.

Note: Although catsup is preferred, 1/2 cup tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cider vinegar may be substituted. Use chilled tomato juice if serving immediately.

With cooked pasta and gazpacho in the refrigerator, this tasty dish can be on the table as a hot meal before you know it.

SHRIMP PASTA WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE, PEPPERS, ONIONS AND GAZPACHO DRESSING

1 tablespoon light-flavored olive oil

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1/2 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia, Texas Sweet or new Spanish), cut into 1/3-inch dice

1 (3 1/2-ounce) smoked Thuringer sausage, thinly sliced

8 large, shelled shrimp

1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups Basic Gazpacho

4 ounces bow tie pasta, slightly undercooked

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon snipped chives

1 tablespoon minced parsley

Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet. When hot, add garlic, onion and sausage. Cook over medium high heat, uncovered, until onion is tender and lightly colored but not brown, about 3 minutes, stirring often.

Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until almost cooked, about 40 seconds. Add 1 cup Basic Gazpacho and pasta. Heat through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring often. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When hot, remove from heat and add 1/4 cup more gazpacho. Toss well. Garnish with chives and parsley. Makes 2 servings.

Note: To serve as salad, chill well. Just before serving, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup gazpacho as needed to moisten salad and freshen presentation. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Gazpacho makes the flavor in this chicken skillet dish.

GAZPACHO SKILLET CHICKEN, SPANISH-STYLE

1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) chicken, quartered

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons safflower oil

1 large sweet onion (Vidalia, Texas Sweet or new Spanish), cut julienne

1 large green pepper, cut julienne

8 large mushrooms, quartered

1 large stalk celery, cut into 1/3-inch dice

1 1/2 cups Basic Gazpacho

Hot cooked rice

Rinse chicken and pat very dry with paper towels. Season skin-side of chicken to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet. When hot, place chicken skin-side down in single-layer. Season other side of chicken to taste with salt and pepper.

Brown chicken over medium high heat, uncovered, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to set chicken aside.

Add onion, green pepper, mushrooms and celery to hot skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium high heat, until onion is tender, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Arrange chicken, skin-side up, single layer, over vegetables. Spoon gazpacho over chicken. Simmer, covered, 12 minutes. When white meat is cooked, set aside on warm serving platter. Tent platter with foil.

Continue cooking dark meat and sauce over medium-high heat, uncovered, until dark meat is fully cooked and pan juices thickened, about 8 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Arrange chicken on platter. Adjust vegetable seasonings. Spoon vegetables over chicken. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.