Even if there are many variations, in Andalucía, Spain, where this cold soup originated, most gazpacho recipes typically include tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, onion, wine vinegar, bread and olive oil. A good idea is to add some bread croutons (for me croutons are always a good idea).
Traditionally, gazpacho is made by muddling the vegetables in a mortar with a pestle. However, depending on the desired consistency, it can be made in a blender or food processor. If you favor any of these late methods, keep in mind that blenders can create a sort of foam. But if you let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for a while, the foam will disappear. Keep reading for my recipe…
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No matter how you make your gazpacho, this is a soup that is served cold and therefore is perfect for these hot days and also to take advantage of the good price at which you get tomatoes this time of the year. For me, the best of gazpacho is the garnish: that's when we can bring creative and unleash your imagination.
Gazpacho
Makes 6-8 servins
__Ingredients
__6 tomatoes peeled and chopped
1/2 cucumber peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups of bread with no crust, cut in cubes
3 garlic cloves pounded on a mortar with some coarse sea salt
1/3 cup of wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups of cold water
1 1/2 cups of cold tomato juice
Olive oil to taste
__Ingredients for the garnish
__1 medium cucumber peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, with no veins and finely diced
4 scallions finely chopped (sometimes I use red onions)
6 cherry or grape tomatoes finely diced
Preparation
1. Blend the tomatoes with the cucumber, bread, garlic, vinegar and cold water.
2. Keep this mixture refrigerated until it's time to serve the gazpacho.
3. Before serving, add the tomato juice and check if you need to add some more vinegar. You can add some crushed ice if it's not cold enough.
4. Serve in individual bowls with some olive oil.
5. Garnish with the cucumber, green pepper, onions and tomatoes.
For more of my recipes, visit my cooking blog.
Image via Enriqueta Lemoine
