You Gotta Smoke Your End of the Garden Veg Season
There will come a point in every gardener’s life when you just throw shit in the cans and be ready to go. You ate warm, ripe tomatoes until your heart burned, you handed out armfuls of green beans to passers-by and agreed that fennel just wouldn’t catch fire this year. This time (checks the calendar) October 8th.
The problem is what to do with the leftover debris. Three-pound cucumbers hidden under the leaves, wacky tomatoes that are only half ripe, and micro peppers that fell short of their promise.
I have an answer: I love smoked gazpacho.
Take unripe tomatoes and let them ripen a little. I don’t usually recommend this process in the summer, but now is the time and we’re going to cover our sins in smoke. Toss these puppies in a paper bag with a banana and sit for two to three days.
How to smoke these summer vegetables
Once they turn red, light the grate. I use a gas grill and set one burner on low to keep the temperature below 200. On a charcoal grill, you need to use quite a bit of charcoal and keep it on one side; you are not looking for direct warmth.
You don’t have to think too much about smoking – no frills are required here, and even your oven will do. If you have a fancy smoking rig you won’t need my help here, but if not, take a 1 foot long piece of aluminum foil and fold it several times to make 4 by 12 inches. a piece, then line a large handful of chips in a long line on the foil next to the grill opening. Place the tomatoes, peppers and a large onion on the back of the grill (away from the charcoal or lit gas element), then light the chips and close the grill. Don’t get hung up on the tomato to pepper ratio; use what you have. (See the picture above to see what I used if you need direction.) Before you close the lid, make sure these chips are actually burning and smoking red. I usually prop the lid an inch or so with a rock to give it some oxygen. If you’re using an oven, keep it closed – smoke detectors don’t appreciate smoked gazpacho.
When the shavings are burnt, turn off the grill, put everything in a bowl and cool until morning.
Cut the cucumbers in half (for reference, I salt the cucumbers and they make BEAUTIFUL) and scoop out the seeds. Don’t try to exfoliate. Now chop the stew, onion, add the shallots and add the peeled tomatoes. Simply peel off the peppers, toss them and beat them in the machine of your choice. I like Cuisinart here.
The best part? The garbage theme continues. Take the last stale bread, break it and throw it in there. Then take the remnants of an inverted bottle of white wine, remove the pickle from the pickle jar at the back of the refrigerator, toss it all into the Cuisinart and whisk again. Add healthy amounts of olive oil, salt and pepper (bonus points if you’ve smoked salt) and make the pancakes again.
That’s all. That’s the whole recipe. Also, may I interest you in 6 lb kohlrabi or 9-16 lb green beans?