As it was a lovely Summer’s evening and I wasn’t in the mood for slaving over a hot stove, I decided to enjoy a lovely light gazpacho this evening. Despite hating tomato soup with a passion, I’ve loved gazpacho since I was first served it in Spain. Whether a thick, filling version, or a smoother soup served in a glass, you can’t beat it when you want a taste of the continent.
Just whatever you do, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s healthy. My gazpacho used up a whopping 1,000 calories this evening. Even if I did eat enough for two people. And served it with chorizo. I may be starting to see where I went wrong…
Ingredients
100g slightly stale crusty white bread, soaked in cold water for 20 mins
1kg very ripe tomatoes, diced (I used nearer 500g as I like it really thick)
1 ripe red pepper and 1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and diced (although I just threw it in with the skin on – I mean really, who can be bothered?)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 red chilli, chopped
150ml extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp sherry vinegar
Salt, to taste
Preparation
Mix the diced tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with the crushed garlic, chilli and olive oil in a food processor. Squeeze out the bread, tear it roughly into chunks, and add to the mixture. Blend until smooth and then add the salt and vinegar to taste.
Next you’re supposed to pass the mixture through a fine sieve, cover and refrigerate until well chilled. On this occasion I didn’t bother. I was hungry and I don’t mind rustic.
Serve with garnishes of your choice. I went for chopped cucumber, croutons and cubes of chorizo.
Serves four. Or two very greedy people.