In the summer heat, gazpacho became our favorite lunch — icy cold, full of healthy veggies, and not too heavy. Even the saltiness — normally we tried to limit our sodium — was good as we needed to replace the electrolytes we were losing through sweat. (NOTE: check with your own doctor about the appropriate level of sodium if you’re in a hot climate — some is needed to avoid cramps, but everyone’s medical situation is different and I’m not a doctor.)
Gazpacho also works really well as a take-along snack or lunch on a hot hike — just put it in a good Thermos and it will still be cold hours later.
If frozen yogurt was our favorite hot-weather treat, gazpacho was our favorite meal. And any time I served it to friends, they agreed that while it was wonderful any time, it was perfect as the temperatures neared 100 degrees.
And so in 2007, I wrote up my recipe and submitted it to Cruising World. It appeared in the July 2007 issue in the People & Food column. Don’t worry if you don’t have the exact ingredients called for. You can make all sorts of variations using almost any vegetable that you’d eat raw, or leftover cooked veggies. For example, I had half a leftover baked potato that I diced up and added to the gazpacho pictured at the top of this article. Another good add-in is leftover pico de gallo (basically, a raw salsa) — it’ll add a bit of zing!
Now living ashore in the midwest — where we have plenty of very humid 90+ degree days (and we still rarely use air conditioning) — gazpacho is still a favorite lunch. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Gazpacho
After a wonderful week in Ensenada San Juanico just north of Loreto in the Sea of Cortez, it was time for ¿Qué Tal?, our Tayana 37, to head north. The wind was almost nonexistent, but we had a party to go to.
Dave and I headed out alongside our friends Lance and Jo aboard Milagro, and Darryll and Rita on OverHeated. As the wind hit 5 knots, OverHeated popped up their spinnaker. What else could we do but follow suit? With the engine off, moving at about 3 knots, we sat back enjoyed the trip – watching birds soar, listening to the “smack” of a manta ray jump and marveling at the colors of the Baja mountains. Later in the afternoon, the wind died again, and we motored
With the engine off, moving at about 3 knots, we sat back enjoyed the trip – watching birds soar, listening to the “smack” of a manta ray jump and marveling at the colors of the Baja mountains. Later in the afternoon, the wind died again, and we motored
Later in the afternoon, the wind died again, and we motored in to our anchorage in Bahia Concepcion just in time for a quick “cool-down” swim before watching a magnificent sunset.
Baja Geary’s 4th of July party in Bahia Concepcíon is legendary in the Sea of Cortez, but Concepcion is always the hottest place in the Sea. This week it was 105º F in the cabin, water temp 94º F.
And we stayed a few days extra to tour the nearby cave paintings – a hot hike at a nearby ranch. As we returned from the tour, everything I touched felt hot – even my clothes in the locker and water from the tank. We needed an icy cold meal . . . gazpacho!
Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced and seeds discarded)
- 1/2 green pepper (diced)
- 1/2 cucumber (sliced and quartered)
- 1/2 medium onion (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped finely)
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon (OR lime juice)
Instructions
- Make broth and chill well. If you have freezer space, put part in an ice cube tray and freeze. Or, if you have ice, make 2 cups of broth double-strength, chill and use ice to make up the other 2 cups.
- Place vegetables in a bowl, add spices and toss well. Add oil and mix to coat. Chill if not serving immediately.
- To serve, sprinkle juice over the vegetables and toss. Divide mix between bowls and evenly pour broth (or broth and ice) in each bowl. Serve.
Notes
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Moyia Clark on Facebook says
It’s almost time and I am ready for some warm weather.
Kim Gibson says
My hubby makes an amazing watermelon soup!
The Boat Galley says
Sounds good on a hot day!
Stacy Hall says
I would love the recipe if you don’t mind passing it on.
Thank you!
Stacy
Emily Dryden says
I have to try this. Gazpacho is my absolute favorite food in hot weather. But so far my efforts to make it have fallen short.
Chris S says
I made this last year when we took a late summer sailing/camping trip. I added pre-cooked, chilled shrimp for protein & it was over the moon good!