Introducing your kids to Ibiza’s cuisine: Gazpacho Recipe
Overview
While the clientele of the famed Illetes beach café Juan y Andreas has changed since it opened in 1972, its character has remained the same. Once a humble beach bar where Andrea prepared meals from what her husband, Juan, caught at sea, the restaurant now offers a port for posh yachters. Despite this refinement, you’ll be seated on plastic beach chairs by a barefoot waiter, and dine under billowing white umbrellas.
Ibizan cuisine skews Mediterranean with – no surprise – an abundance of seafood. Juan y Andrea’s menu celebrates this without compromise, from salt-crusted fish to paella. We were truly inspired by the restraint and simplicity of their dishes and offer our Galavante rendition. To get the full experience, we suggest taking a cue from the restaurant’s no-frills vibe and prepare the meal barefoot. So, here is our Ibizan gazpacho recipe:
The Recipe:
This cold, tomato-based soup is a popular appetizer in just about every Ibiza restaurant. The best part – no need to turn on the stove!
Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes + 1 hour resting
“Cook” time: 20 minutes + 2 hours resting
Ingredients:
2 lbs plum tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 lb white bread, crust removed and cut into cubes to yield about 4 cuts
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 English cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Directions
Cut tomatoes in half and scoop out seeds and discard. Chop tomatoes and add remaining ingredients. Let sit for 1 hour. Working in batches, purée mixture in a blender with 1 cup of water until smooth. Push through a coarse strainer and extract as much soup as possible. Season with salt and pepper and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Serve your gazpacho cold.
Learn to cook like a local:
Culinary Workshop at Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena
With the ocean as your backdrop, inspiration won’t be hard to find during a cooking class at Hacienda Na Xamena. You’ll learn the fundamentals of Ibizan cuisine from the hotel’s head chef. The meal created during the three-hour workshop will be presented as your dinner, along with a wine tasting.
