Gazpacho is a chilled soup from Andalusia, Spain. It's a medley of summer produce, blended together along with olive oil, vinegar, and a little day-old bread. For a very Spanish finish, add a little cured ham or minced hard-boiled egg in along with the vegetable garnish at the finish.
Ingredients
- 1 thick slice crusty bread, crusts removed
- 2 small cucumbers (or 1 large), peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 2 lb tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For garnishing: finely chopped green pepper, cucumber, onion, and/or tomato
Preparation
- To a small bowl, submerge the bread in enough cool water to cover. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze all of the excess water from the bread. Transfer the bread to a food processor, then add the cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and 1 cup of cold water. Process until very smooth.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, Strain the processed vegetables into a large bowl. Press any solids through the mesh with the back of a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The soup can be chilled up to 24 hours in advance.
- Portion into glasses or soup bowls, and garnish as desired.
