Recipe: Gazpacho with Mashed Avocado and Poached Seafood

This is one of my favorite dishes for a late lunch in the patio. It is from Emeril Lagasse's show & I never get tired of eating it (by the way, nor my guests too!)


Gazpacho with Mashed Avocado and Poached Seafood
Makes 11 cups

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, finely chopped (about 3-1/2 cups)
2 cups peeled, seeded and finely chopped cucumbers
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow bell peppers
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1 (14-ounce) can peeled Roma tomatoes and their liquid
1 (16-ounce) can V-8 vegetable juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 teaspoons seeded and minced jalape o peppers
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Mashed Avocado (recipe follows)
Poached Seafood (recipe follows)

Combine half of the chopped tomatoes with half of the cucumbers, onions, and red, yellow and green bell peppers in the bowl of a food processor with the canned tomatoes and their liquid, and pur e on high speed. Combine the remaining half of the chopped ingredients in a very large bowl. Add the pur ed vegetables, the V-8 juice, and all of the remaining ingredients, and stir well to blend. Note: I always regrigerate the GAZPACHO before serving it. To serve, ladle the soup into 12 small bowls or large cups, top each with 2 tablespoons of the mashed avocado, and garnish with the poached seafood.

Mashed Avocado
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 pound ripe avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Place the avocado in a medium bowl and mash with the back of a fork. Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix until blended and creamy.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Poached Seafood

1 gallon water
2 lemons, cut in half
1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 rib celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon Zatarain's Liquid Crab Boil (I use whatever crab boil is available in PR)
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/2 pound squid, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings

Combine the water, lemons, onion, celery, garlic, salt and crab boil in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink and cooked through, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a strainer, rinse under cold running water, and drain. Add the squid and cook until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove with a strainer, rinse under cold running water, and drain. Set aside until ready to serve, refrigerating as necessary.