G is for Goats and Gazpacho

There are all kinds of goats,  in fact there are over 300 distinct breeds according to Wikipedia which 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 Pleasure
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