HungryForever

GAZPACHO

This refreshing cold Spanish soup has got to be the easiest in the world to make and is perfect served al fresco on a hot summer’s day – follow my nifty tip below and you can even take it on a picnic! There’s no cooking involved and the only time-consuming thing is waiting for it to chill. The secret is to get the right balance of olive oil, sherry vinegar and seasoning, so do taste as you go along and remember, flavours are more muted when chilled.

Servings

Ingredients

1 cucumberpeeled and chopped
1 red pepperdeseeded and chopped
1 green pepperdeseeded and chopped
1kg ripe plum tomatoescored and chopped
2 garlic clovespeeled and crushed
2 Spring onionstrimmed and finely chopped
75g stale crusty white breadchopped
2tbsp –2½sherry vinegaror to taste
Small bunch of basil
extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TOASTS (OPTIONAL)

8slices thinof country-style white bread
olive oilfor brushing

Instructions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and spring onions in a large bowl. Add the bread, 3–4 basil leaves and season well with salt and pepper. Add the sherry vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and mix together with your hands, pressing down to squeeze out the juices. Cover and chill. Leave to marinate for at least 30 mins or overnight.
2. Put the vegetable mixture into a blender and whiz until smooth. Check the consistency. If it is still rather thick and not very rich, add another glug or two of olive oil until you reach a consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. You might need a little more vinegar. Cover and chill again, until really cold and you’re ready to serve. (At this point, you can freeze some in ice-cube trays, as suggested in the tip below).
3. Meanwhile, make the toasts, if using. Brush the slices of bread generously with olive oil. Place a large griddle pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the bread and toast on either side until golden and crunchy. Drain on kitchen paper, then season with a little salt and pepper.
4. To serve, stir the gazpacho and taste again as the seasoning may have changed as the soup is now very cold. Adjust as necessary, then serve ice cold with gazpacho ice cubes, sprinkled with the rest of the basil, chopped, an extra drizzle of olive oil and the toasts alongside, if using.

HOW TO KEEP GAZPACHO CHILLED

A clever trick to make sure gazpacho – or any cold soup – stays well chilled is to freeze small amounts in an ice cube tray and add these to the soup just before serving (or, if you’re going to a picnic, just before setting out). The soup will be deliciously chilled without being watered down as it would by ordinary ice cubes.