I adore Gazpacho. It's the one dish I always look forward to on holiday in Spain. Cold tomato soup may not be everyone's cup of tea but when it's made well, with quality ingredients, it's wonderfully flavourful and refreshing dish. In a similar vein my tipple on a plane is always a Bloody Mary. I'm not quite sure why, but ordering one always mean that I'm off on holiday. As part of my ambassadorship with premium Italian tomato brand Cirio the blogger brief talks about 'new and different ways to use Cirio'. I reckon the recipe that I've created for them today does just exactly that. Tomato Gelato aka Bloody Mary Sorbet.
If you are turning your nose up in disgust don't diss it until you've tried it. The sweet/savoury/icy combination really does work. And the generous shot of vodka in there is an added bonus. If you're a Gin fan like myself feel free to substitute your spirit. Likewise a Virgin Mary Sorbet will taste almost as good. It can be served as an amuse bouche, starter, palate cleanser, desert or cheeseboard accompaniment. I reckon it would be great as part of a prawn cocktail and downright awesome to put a scoopful in the middle of a bowl of Gazpacho. If you want the ultimate grown up 'Slush Puppie' just let it defrost a bit and serve with a long spoon and wide straw. The possibilities are endless! I used a bottle of Cirio La Napoletana Flavoured Passata which contains 100% Italian tomatoes crushed and enriched with a blend of onion, celery and paprika. How spicy or mild you make your Bloody Mary Sorbet is entirely down to personal taste so feel free to revise the quantities of Tabasco up and down according to your own eat tolerance.
Bloody Mary Sorbet
150g Caster Sugar
150ml Water
1 shallot, peeled
1/2 cucumber
1 red pepper, deseeded
75ml Vodka
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tsp Tobasco Sauce
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Put the sugar and water in a small pan, turn up the heat and boil for 5 minutes until syrupy. Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile roughly chop the cucumber, pepper and shallot and whiz them to a pulp in a food processor.
Add the Cirio La Napoletana Flavoured Passata, vodka, lemon juice and cooled sugar syrup and blend until combined.
Taste and season with the Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco and Black Pepper.
Push the mixture through a sieve into a large jug.
Churn the sorbet in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.
(If you don't have an an ice-cream maker you can pour it into a freezer friendly container. Freeze for 6-8 hrs. Soften for about 30 mins, return to the food processor and whizz until just smooth. Then refreeze for at least 2 more hours until firm.)
Take the sorbet out of the freezer and allow it to soften in the fridge for 10 mins before serving in salt rimmed glasses.
Garnish with celery, lemon, freshly ground black pepper and paprika.
Now that you've dragged the ice cream maker out of the back of the cupboard and dusted it off, why not make it earn it's keep and churn up some more refreshing sorbets? Recipes below are from some of my food blogging colleagues.
Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Cirio. All opinions expressed are my own.
