Is it too hot to cook? Is your garden overflowing with tomatoes? You must learn how to make this refreshing Gazpacho! Even though it take like 15 minutes to make in the blender ( or food processor), you will need to account for the necessary chill time before serving. Gazpacho is Spanish in origin and is often served in a glass with a straw, but here we will serve it in a small bowl. This recipe makes about 3 cups, so it was perfect for the two of us with enough for leftovers the next day.
The Beginning:
Prep and chop the veggies. Then, add the spices. Cover the blender and puree to your desired consistency.
The Bread:
To give this chilled soup a smoother texture, add a 3″ chunk of french bread with the outer crust peeled away. Press the bread down into the blended to submerge it. When it starts to soften, break it up into chunks and let it soak for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, blend or pulse it again until smooth in appearance or the consisitency that you prefer. Can you tell the difference from the pictures above?
Chill Time:
Refrigerate for the Gazpacho for about 4 hours before serving. Top with some of what summer has best to offer like steamed shrimp, crab meat, an avocado or just some croutons! Maybe you like it plain and refreshing! If you had some leftover veggies, you could dice them and sprinkle it on top as a garnish!
Ingredients
- 1 pound campari(cocktail) tomatoes or other meaty tomatoes
- 3" English cucumber, sliced, then quartered
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 of a green pepper, sliced into strips, then chopped
- 1/4 c red onion, sliced, then chopped to measure
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 t sea salt
- 1/4 t freshhly ground black pepper
- 1/4 t cumin
- 1/8 t smoked paprika
- 3" chunk of French bread, crust peeled off
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients as prepped, except bread, until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Peel the crust off of a 3" chunk of French bread. Submerge it into the mixture and let it soak for about 10 minutes. Break apart for quicker absorbtion, if necessary. Blend or pulse until incorporated into gazpacho.
- Chill in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Garnish with croutons, crab meat, shrimp, diced avocado or diced leftover veggies. Enjoy.
[…] Gazpacho — My Dragonfly Cafe […]