Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold Spanish soup made from ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and sweet bell pepper. The bread softens the texture, while extra virgin olive oil gradually emulsifies with the vegetables into a smooth mixture; the soup should be well chilled before serving.
Another 2 hours - cooling
How to make it
Prepared 0 of 6 steps
Wash and chop the vegetables
Wash all the vegetables. Remove the firm stem ends from the tomatoes and the seeds from the pepper. Peel any tough, bitter cucumber skin. Reserve a little tomato, cucumber and pepper for dicing just before serving.
Soak the bread
Soak the bread crumb in some of the measured cold water for 5 minutes. Leave out the crusts, which do not blend as smoothly. Reserve the rest of the water to adjust the thickness.
Blend the base
In a blender, combine coarsely chopped vegetables, onion, garlic, soaked bread with water, vinegar, and salt. Blend for 2–3 minutes until as smooth as possible, pausing according to the appliance instructions.
Add the olive oil
With the blender running at medium speed, slowly pour in the oil. Add the remaining water if you prefer a thinner soup. Pass through a sieve if any noticeable tough pieces of vegetable skin remain.
Chill well
Pour the soup into a sealed container and refrigerate for 2 hours. It should be uniformly cold throughout. Do not add too much ice directly to the bowl: melting ice will uncontrollably dilute the finished taste.
Finish with the reserved vegetables
Chop the reserved tomato, cucumber, and pepper into very small cubes. Mix the chilled gazpacho, pour it into bowls, and distribute the vegetable cuts. Eggs, croutons, and green garnish are not included in this version.
Little hint
For gazpacho, use the ripest and most aromatic tomatoes: the soup is not cooked or sweetened by simmering. It’s easier to prevent strong garlic heat with a smaller initial amount than to try to correct the finished mixture.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch out for when cooking?
For gazpacho, use the ripest and most aromatic tomatoes: the soup is not cooked or sweetened by simmering. It’s easier to prevent strong garlic heat with a smaller initial amount than to try to correct the finished mixture.
How should I prepare the ingredients?
Wash all the vegetables. Remove the firm stem ends from the tomatoes and the seeds from the pepper. Peel any tough, bitter cucumber skin. Reserve a little tomato, cucumber and pepper for dicing just before serving.
