
Sweet cherries are a Middle Eastern fruit thought to have originated in Anatolia and later cultivated in al-Andalus.
Not the case for the tomato, of course, that American interloper. At Alejandro, a Michelin-star restaurant located in southeastern Spain, an elegant cocktail glass of this gazpacho kicks off their lengthy menu. You can increase the quantities to suit a normal-size dinner, but since the gazpacho is intense and dense, you won’t need large helpings. You will need to marinate it overnight.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil and herbs, stir roughly together and leave to marinate overnight.
The following day, tip the mixture into a food processor and blend to a smooth puree. Strain into a bowl and return to the blender. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil to achieve a smooth emulsion.
Serve in small glasses, garnished with a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil and the mint or basil leaves.
Reprinted with permission from Andaluz: A Food Journey through Southern Spain,
Fiona Dunlop , 2018, Interlink Books, 978-1-62371-999-9, $35 hb, www.interlinkbooks.com.

You may also be interested in...
Quick Summer Salad Recipe: Sea Beans With Fava Beans and Dill
This recipe serves up one of London-based food writer Sally Butcher's favorite lunches—a perfect mezze dish of beans.Flavors: Fattoush Salad
This classic Middle Eastern salad is made distinctive—and more substantial—by the addition of torn-up bread.Flavors: Upside-Down in Babylon Pineapple Palace Cake
Palace cake was made in honor of the gods who were worshipped in the temples of Ur on the banks of the Euphrates. It contained raisins, aniseed, and an unbelievable amount of fat and dates.