Friday, September 09, 2011

SEPTEMBER 'SIMPLE SUNSET SUPPER' ~ HARVEST GAZPACHO

“If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.”


~ G. K. Chesterton


WINE SUNSET
(Hubbard Lake, MI)


HARVEST GAZPACHO

(with or without crab)

~ Serve chilled for lunch or supper
on the remains of a warm summer day


6 plump peeled and seeded ripe tomatoes
minced clove of garlic
2 peeled and seeded cucumbers
1 chopped red onion
1 chopped sweet onion
1 coarsely chopped red pepper
1 coarsely chopped yellow or orange pepper
2 cups tomato juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 fresh lemon
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
dashes of Tabasco to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
sliced black olives to taste
1/2 lb. good lump crab
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

  • Into a large glass bowl rubbed with cut garlic, place chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers.
  • Combine tomato juice, olive oil, lemon juice and Tabasco. Pour over chopped garden vegetables.
  • Add dill, olives, and crab. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill thoroughly.
  • Ladle into chilled bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with a bottle of good Michigan wine and warm crusty bread. (6-8 servings)

Note: Take proper time to hand-chop vegetables. The results will not be the same using a blender or food processor. Since tomatoes are at their peak, as long as you're chopping, double the recipe.


"A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou."

~ Omar Khayyam

14 comments:

  1. Joey, you always make me long to be sitting on a deck chair with a glass of wine, watching the sun set over the lake....

    Love the recipe.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a wonderful thought, and photo my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joey, I love your views through a wine glass. Hubbard Lake always looks like such a magical place to be.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this recipe with the crab added. I agree about the hand chopping, the blender makes mush out of it.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aside from the yummy food that photo needs to be framed it's awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I always love your photos of Hubbard Lake sunsets, Joey. Hope you are enjoying as many relaxing days by the lake as you can while summer winds down.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks, dear Jen ... racing from home, we are here again to enjoy (and work) the weekend. Hard to say goodbye to summer :( In the meantime, we will/must find moments like these to enjoy (and share). How fun would it be to have you here (camera in hand) one day beside me ...

    Thanks creative fun friend, imac :)

    And thank you, dear Clare. In many repects, it is truly magical! (For some reason, I have a hard time connecting to you here at the lake on hubby's computer.) But I know your life too, by your awesome posts, is also magical, busy (a good thing) and grand (all in how we choose to view our lives)! ((hugs))

    Hi Rose and thank you. You well know, nothing in life is perfect. It's a working weekend (raced to the lake) but will take time to enjoy the 'remains of the day'. It's close to the equinox sunset and tonight's clear sky sunset was grand!

    Yes Eileen ... I so agree ... chopping takes a bit of time but so worth the effort! Hey, it took a long time for the harvest ... !

    You are always so kind, dear Patsi. Thank you. So let's enjoy September ... and lots more basil :)

    Aw, dear Rose. I so hate to say goodbye to summer ... not only at home in the garden but here at the lake where we will be pulling out boats, jet ski, summer toys etc, and truly saying goodbye to summer fun on the lake :( Thank goodness for the sunset that still is a reminder of summer's gift.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What beautiful, beautiful images! It just confirms that lovely phrase!
    and the gazpacho...we haven't had any this summer yet, which is unforgiving, since we have tomatoes in such an abundance... I am goin to make your recipe just this weekend joey...with the crab...that is new to me.
    thank you!
    Bises
    Ronelle

    ReplyDelete
  9. Joey ~ this sounds wonderful. I think I'm going to run out and find some crab meat to give it a try. It's making me so sad to think summer is nearly gone. We have to make the most of what's left, don't we? Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My kind of sunset, wine that is.

    I'll have the gazpacho with extra crab.

    Summer's last hurrah here today, 34C and humid. I'm firing up the BBQ as we speak.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's one pretty view through the wine, prettier than most! ;) I'll take that with the lemon pasta with shrimp in an earlier post please. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful collage and fantastic sounding recipe Joey.
    And I did not know that quote was from Khayyam!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have to confess that I've never really been taken with the concept of cold soup....but I'll sit on your deck and sip a glass of wine as I watch the sun go down if I may Joey please?!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi dear Ronelle ... fun catching up. Your beautiful posts are always food for the eye and tummy. Hope you enjoy my humble offering :)

    I am so with you, Kathleen, and thank you. Hope you enjoy! Late catching up on comments, tonight is the last night of summer and back here at the lake, hoping to enjoy all to the end. So ((hugs)) and Happy Autumn :)

    So hurry, Rob! Back at the lake ... alfesco dinner, wine, and the 'Equinox Sunset' are on the agenda :)

    Your wish is my command and thank you, Jewel ... Happy Autumn :)

    Thanks dear Kala ... autumn arrives tomorrow. Keep camera ready to share ...

    Oh do please, Liz. Late catching up on comments ... so bad this crazy summer ... so here we are, back at the lake. What could be lovelier than sharing wine and the 'Equinox Sunset' with you. ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete