Beet-Rum Mousse
Amanda Hesser, Alexander Talbot, Aki Kamozawa
30 ratings with an average rating of 3 out of 5 stars
30
45 minutes, plus 4 hours' freezing and 2 hours' refrigeration
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Chill 6 shallow soup bowls in the refrigerator. To make the cucumber granita: Place the cucumber in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Stir in the cucumber vinegar and salt, to taste, and place in a shallow, wide pan in the freezer. Run a fork through the granita every 20 minutes for approximately 2 hours. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. (This can be done the day before.)
Pass the tomatoes through a food mill using the finest attachment, then strain the tomato juice through a fine-meshed sieve. Season with salt (about 6 pinches) and chill in the refrigerator.
Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the olive oil. When warm, fry the garlic until golden; use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels. Season with salt and set aside. In the same oil, add the cubed bread and fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Ladle the chilled soup into the chilled bowls. Float a large tablespoonful of granita in the center of each bowl. Arrange the garnishes (garlic, bread cubes, shallot, green pepper, chili and cherry tomatoes) around the rims, or serve them separately and pass around at the table.
This deconstruction of a lifesaver seems like sacrilege to me: a salted homemade tomato juice with toppings doesn't look, taste, feel nor fill like a Gazpacho, which in its origins can be considered a "consistent (thanks to the soaked bread) liquidised summer salad". Served as a chilled drink it's a delightful refreshing full meal for anyone coping with the braising summer sun and temperatures so high they take away your appetite. Maybe the author was inspired by the kindred Salmorejo "soup"
Used the Instant Pot and the soup setting but otherwise stayed pretty close to the recipe. Very savoury and spicey recipe (I used hot Ital sausage and some extra peperoncino). Will certainly make again.
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