When It's Excessively Hot Outside, Treat Yourself Well

Where I live, it's been in the upper 90's almost every day since the first week in June. With not a drop of rain in the past month. I water my vegetable garden, the blueberry bushes and my fig tree. Everything else suffers in the drought.

Today is the second day in a row it's been 100 degrees, with humidity making it feel like 115. This is my answer: Gazpacho served with fresh baked Focaccia...

Gazpacho

3 very large, ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cucumbers, partially peeled and seeded
1 1/2 green peppers
1 sweet red pepper
1/2 small red onion
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
lots of fresh cracked pepper

Chop the vegetables into large chunks. In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes. once they are well chopped, spoon about half out into a large bowl, then process the remainder until it's a smooth puree, add to the chopped tomatoes. Repeat with cucumbers, peppers, and onion, combining with the chopped/pureed vegetables when done. Add the crushed garlic, chopped cilantro, vinegars, oil, salt and pepper, stirring until thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until chilled. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving. Gazpacho gets better as the flavors meld together.

Focaccia

1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 1/3 cups very warm water
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
3 cups white whole wheat flour or bread flour, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 -2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Sprinkle the yeast and teaspoon of sugar over the warm water in a two cup measuring cup. Let sit for five minutes. It will get foamy. Pour the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups of white flour and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour to an hour and a half.

Stir in the salt, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, then stir in enough white flour to make a firm dough. Knead the dough on a floured board for five minutes. Form into a ball. Place the dough in a clean bowl, coat the dough with olive oil, cover with the damp cloth. Let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Punch down the dough, knead briefly. Cut the dough in half. You can either make two 9" x 9" Focaccias, or freeze half the dough for later.

Roll or pat the dough into a 9" square. Place the dough into a 9" x 9" pan oiled with olive oil. Coat the top of the dough with more olive oil, cover with the damp cloth and allow to rise. After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

When doubled, make indentations all over the dough with your finger tips. Sprinkle the top with the coarse sea salt and the chopped rosemary. bake for 15 minutes. cut into squares or rectangles. Serve with olive oil mixed with salt and fresh cracked pepper and/or grated Parmesan cheese for dipping.

Note: this dough makes wonderful pizza crust too, provided you have a baking stone.

Pizza

Preheat oven and a baking stone to 500 degrees.

Roll roll half the dough into a rough circle. Sprinkle a little corn meal under dough on the bread board. Then top with a thin layer of your favorite tomato sauce, a layer of fresh spinach leaves or scattered dabs of pesto, grated mozzarella cheese, and sliced peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, crumbled feta. Carefully slide the pizza onto the hot baking stone. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until bubbling and slightly browned.