A chilled Andalusian soup of impossibly ripe tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, and garlic, blended to silky perfection with sherry vinegar and olive oil. Served ice-cold on a scorching summer day, this liquid salad is like drinking liquid sunshine with every refreshing, vibrant spoonful.
Ingredients
1kg very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
100g day-old bread, crusts removed
80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
500ml cold water
Salt to taste
Diced cucumber, pepper, croutons, and hard-boiled egg for garnish
Instructions
1Soak the day-old bread in water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze out excess water.
2Place the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, garlic, and soaked bread in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
3With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify. Add sherry vinegar, cold water, and salt. Blend again until silky and uniform.
4Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for the smoothest possible texture, pressing with a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the fibrous remains.
5Taste and adjust the balance of vinegar, salt, and olive oil. The gazpacho should be bright, tangy, and well-seasoned. It will mellow as it chills.
6Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and deepen. Gazpacho must be served very cold.
7Serve in chilled bowls with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a selection of finely diced garnishes: cucumber, pepper, croutons, and chopped hard-boiled egg. Each guest customizes their own bowl.
Did You Know?
The original gazpacho predates the arrival of tomatoes from the Americas and was simply a white soup of bread, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. The tomato version we know today only became standard in the 19th century.