Vegan recipe: Vegetable gazpacho, marinated tofu and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI

Who has never heard of balsamic vinegar of Modena? A product with a delicate taste, for refined palates that love to experiment. It can be bought together with classic balsamic condiments or in balsamic vinegar gift boxes, which are always very popular. But it can also be used in cooking, for those who like to try their hand at discovering new foods. And balsamic vinegar does not only go well with meat dishes, but also with vegetarian and vegan dishes. Here then is a Vegan recipe with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, to fully enjoy the flavour of this traditional product.

What is Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

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Before we give the recipe, let’s explain what Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is. We all know that it has a delicate, almost sweet flavour, decidedly different from the sourness of classic wine vinegar. Its particular characteristic is due to the climatic and production conditions of the area where it is made. True Balsamic Vinegar is produced from grape must grown in the Modena area, following traditional procedures. Sangiovese, Lambrusco, hillside Trebbiano, Albana, Ancellotta, Fortana and Montuni are the necessary blends, to which 10% wine vinegar is added along with a portion of vinegar that is at least a decade old. The product is then placed in barrels or vats of fine wood, and then taken to the vinegar cellar where it is decanted from barrel to barrel until it is aged 12 or 24 years. Here there is a bit of confusion, as ingredients are described PGI instead the last part in red concerns PDO.

The vegan recipe: the ingredients

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To fully enjoy the taste of balsamic vinegar, here is a pretty good vegan recipe: Vegetable Gazpacho, Marinated Tofu and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI. Let’s start with the ingredients needed for 4 people. You need 200 grams of green pepper and 200 grams of green tomatoes, 150 grams of cucumber, 100 grams of rocket, 100 grams of celery, 1 red onion. To these should be added 2 slices of bread, 150 grams of natural tofu, 1 bunch of parsley, basil, extra virgin olive oil and salt.

Preparation of vegan gazpacho

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We start by taking the tofu cubes and blanching it in lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Once this is done, it needs to be drained and marinated in classic vinegar. Next we take the green peppers, which must be cleaned of their inner seeds, washed and cut into chunks. Then it’s the turn of the cucumbers: peel them and cut them into chunks. The same goes for the green tomatoes and celery. The rocket should then be chopped. In the meantime, you must wet the bread with a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar PGI.

Now combine all the chopped vegetables, the chopped rocket and the chopped bread in a blender. Before blending well, season with salt and a few tablespoons of oil. The mixture should be blended finely. At this point your Gazpacho is almost ready. It should be served with the tofu cubes, some rings of spring onion and basil leaves. Extra virgin olive oil and the ever-present balsamic vinegar can be added to taste. A fresh, nutritious dish that is sure to please everyone!