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“I have never liked the idea of a signature dish; whenever I was asked what mine was, I always replied that I didn’t have one; the idea of repeating the same thing over and over horrified me,” says Giorgia Eugenia Goggi, resident chef of design-led hotel Masseria Moroseta in Italy.
“However, I believe that if I asked our returning guests the same thing, they would answer, without a doubt, ‘Gazpacho!’ It has been a recurring item on our tasting menus since the very beginning, served in all possible variations and combinations from the early days of May until the first days of October. It is a dish I like to serve at the start of a meal, a preamble to the tasting menu; it is fresh, light and 100 per cent plant-based, and can pack an unexpected level of complexity.”
Goggi says this dish tastes even better the day after you’ve made it, giving the flavours a chance to develop.
Roasted vegetable gazpacho
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
50g finely sliced red onion
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp water
15 basil leaves
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
For the roasted vegetables:
400g peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
700g San Marzano tomatoes, quartered
250g carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
350g apricots, stoned and halved
50g extra virgin olive oil
10g salt
To serve:
100g raspberries
60g currants
Pinch of sumac
Sorrel, or another aromatic herb of your choice
Bay Leaf Oil (see below)
For the bay leaf oil:
36g bay leaves
2 cups grapeseed oil
Method:
1. Make the bay leaf oil: Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the bay leaves and blanch for 50 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer into a bowl of iced water. Drain, then blot the leaves well with paper towel. Pour the oil into a saucepan over a low heat. Heat to 65°C (149°F) and add the leaves. Keep the temperature constant for an hour. Transfer to a blender and blend at maximum speed for one minute, then strain through a piece of muslin. Transfer the bay leaf oil into a squeezing bottle and store in the fridge. It will keep for two weeks.
2. Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 200C fan (400F/gas 7).
3. Combine the peppers, tomatoes, carrots and apricots in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil, then season with the salt and some freshly ground black pepper, and toss well. Tip into a large baking tray and spread out; they should not be packed too tightly together, otherwise they will steam instead of roasting and caramelising.
4. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The vegetables should be well cooked, soft and golden brown.
5. While the vegetables are cooking, place the onion slices in a small bowl and cover with the vinegar and water. Leave to marinate for half an hour.
6. Blend: Tip the roasted vegetables into a blender, along with the onion and its marinating liquid. Add the basil leaves and three tablespoons oil, then blend for two minutes at high speed.
7. The consistency should be quite loose. Add water until the desired texture is reached. You may need to adjust the salt and vinegar, depending on how much water you have added.
8. Transfer the gazpacho to a container, cover with cling film and allow to cool completely for three to four hours.
9. Assemble: Serve in individual bowls, allowing a generous ladleful per person. Garnish the top with raspberries, currants, a pinch of sumac, sorrel or the herb of your choice and a few drops of bay leaf oil.
Recipe from ‘Moroseta Kitchen’ by Giorgia Eugenia Goggi (Quadrille, £30).
