Gazpacho andaluz
Chilled Andalusian tomato, cucumber and pepper soup
Gazpacho is the cold soup of Andalusia, drunk from a glass or eaten from a bowl through the scorching summers of Seville and Córdoba. It began as a farm workers' meal of bread, oil, garlic and vinegar pounded in a wooden bowl; tomatoes and peppers came later and turned it into the bright red, refreshing soup we know. Ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, sherry vinegar and plenty of olive oil are blended until silky and chilled hard. Serve it with tiny dice of cucumber, pepper and onion and a few crunchy croutons. Chef's tip: add the olive oil last, in a thin stream with the blender running; it emulsifies the soup to a creamy, pale-orange texture instead of leaving a slick of oil on top.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the gazpacho
To garnish
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb very ripe tomatoes, ½ cucumber, 1 green pepper (Italian frying pepper if possible), ¼ red onion or spring onion, 1 clove garlic and 1 ¾ oz stale white bread in a blender with 1 ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp sherry vinegar. Leave for 5 minutes so the salt starts drawing the juice out of the tomatoes.
5 minStep 2: Blend on high for 2 minutes, until completely smooth.
2 minStep 3: With the motor running, pour in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream. The colour will turn from red to a creamy orange-pink as it emulsifies.
1 minStep 4: For a really silky gazpacho, push it through a fine sieve with the back of a ladle. Thin with ½ cup ice-cold water if it's thicker than you like; it should be pourable, like a smoothie.
Step 5: Taste and adjust: more salt for depth, more vinegar for brightness. Chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days; it tastes better the next day.
Step 6: Stir, pour into chilled bowls or glasses and top with 4 tbsp finely diced cucumber, green pepper and onion, 4 tbsp small bread croutons and a few drops of olive oil.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gazpacho andaluz take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of very ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
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