Gazpacho is one of those soups that is easy, quick, and bursts with flavor. You really only make this during the peak season of tomatoes, unless you have a specific request for a party or something. Ideally using fresh tomatoes that are slightly overripe (you can normally pick them up for a steal at markets, especially when the season is almost over and they are overflowing). There are tons of variations that you can do for this soup, and almost every chef I've worked with has their own version.
This is recipe is what I've come up with after making it a number of different ways. It's not too spicy, not too strong on the garlic side, has a nice balance of sweet and sour, and the olive oil finish gives it a nice mouthfeel.
The garnish I use for this is a cucumber salad that has an orange finish, with some nice olive oil, and a little basil for color. In the past I have used croutons, which also give the soup a little body and crunch. Additionally you could add some pickled jalapenos or fresh hot peppers if you wanted it with a bite.
Ingredients
English Cucumber, peeled & seeded 1 ea
Basil 2 stems + garnish
Parsley 3 stems
Garlic, raw 1 large clove
Garlic, roasted 4 cloves
Red Onion 1 small
Tomatoes, fresh 4 lbs
Pickled Jalepenos 3 slices
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 T + garnish
Red Pepper, cored & seeded 1 medium
Aleppo Pepper* 1 tsp
Tomato Juice 8 oz
Orange Juice 2 oz
Balsamic Vinegar 1 T
Salt and Pepper to taste
*If you don't have Aleppo pepper you can sub a blend of cayenne and paprika
Garnish
Cucumber Salad, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Basil Leaves
Method of Procedure
Clean and cut your tomatoes and season them lighty with salt and pepper. Let stand for 40 minutes.
Rough chop the rest of your vegetables and herbs then add to your tomatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Using a food processor, puree the soup in batches until it is completely pureed.
Taste and season to your liking then serve.
Comments