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Garden Gazpacho with Hazelnut and Pear Fritters

Deep-fried, hazelnut-coated pear balls make an unconventional garnish for this spicy gazpacho. Serve it in bowls for a first course, or in small glasses as a tapa (with the pear balls skewered on small wooden skewers). Adapted from a recipe by Victor Scargle. From Spain and The World Table, The Culinary Institute of America.
Serves 8 as a main course, 16 as a tapa.

10 heirloom tomatoes, of assorted colors and sweetness,
cored, blended, and strained (about 12 cups purée)
1½ medium red bell peppers, cored and seeded
1½ large yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded
1½ medium poblano peppers, cored and seeded
½ English cucumber
1⁄8 medium habanero chile
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 teaspoons lime juice
1 cup lobster stock or chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
½ cup shelled hazelnuts
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Eight ¾-inch (2 cm) pear balls, scooped from 4 ripe
but firm pears with a melon baller, or sixteen ¾-inch
(2 cm) pear balls, scooped from 8 pears if serving
as a tapa
¼ cup Wondra flour
6 cups vegetable oil

1. Place the tomato pulp in a large bowl. Finely dice half the peppers and cucumber and stir into the tomatoes. Place the remaining peppers, cucumber, and habanero in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process to a pulp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir into the tomatoes with the cilantro, lime juice, and stock. Taste and adjust seasoning with the salt and a pinch of pepper. Chill for 1 hour or longer, preferably overnight.

2. Prepare the hazelnuts. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Bake the nuts on a cookie sheet for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the skins begin to crack and the interior is lightly browned. Transfer the nuts to a terrycloth towel, gather the towel around them, twist tightly, and set aside for 5 minutes. Then vigorously rub the nuts through the towel for 2 to 3 minutes, or until most of the skin is removed. Discard the skin and grind the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.

3. Make the pear balls. Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl. Roll the balls in Wondra flour, then in the egg wash. Shake off the excess egg and roll in the ground hazelnuts. Place on a parchmentlined half-sized baking sheet and place in the freezer for 1 hour or longer, or until they are frozen.

4. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of vegetable oil (about 6 cups in an 8-inch-(20 cm) wide pan or deep fryer) over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Deep-fry 5 pear balls until golden brown, about 2 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. Drain briefly on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pear balls. Place 1½ cups of the cold gazpacho in a bowl, rest a warm fritter on top, and serve.

If serving as a tapa, place ¾ cup of the gazpacho in a small glass, gently skewer a pear ball with a wooden skewer, and stand in the glass to serve.