Gazpacho or rather gazpacho in Spanish comes from an Arabic word which when translated means soaked bread. It was originally a white soup but today it has become red because tomatoes and other red ingredients are added, which was not the case at the time. It is a cold soup from the South of Spain which can be made in 10 minutes flat, without meat but quite complete and contains lots of vitamins. The version of gazpacho that I am offering you in this article is therefore the revisited or rather modern version which is quite different from the traditional gazpacho of the 1600s.
INGREDIENTS
- 1kg tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of Espelette pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 cucumber
- 1 bunch of onions
- 25 cl of olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 10 g of Salt
- 2 tablespoons of pepper
- 20cl of water
- 1 green pepper
- Basil leaves
- 3 slices of bread
- 10 ml Balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Crumb of a piece of bread
Total time
Preparation: 10 min Refrigerator: 1h Cooking: –
PREPARATION
1
Start by cutting the tomatoes and onions. Then cut the peppers in half and remove all the seeds before cutting them. Also peel the cucumbers, then cut in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, cut and pour everything into a large salad bowl; Also cut a small part of cucumber, pepper and onion into small cubes which will be used for dressing. Mix everything in a small bowl. This little mixture is called pico de gallo in Spain ⇒ You can also grill your tomatoes a little in the oven for 4 minutes or on a frying pan over low heat for 3 minutes or take care to peel them and get rid of the seeds.
2
Then add a few basil leaves to the preparation as well as the roughly chopped garlic. Season with Espelette pepper, pepper, salt, olive oil and vinegar; ⇒ Garlic is a very important ingredient in the preparation of gazpacho because it will give a certain depth and flavor to the dish. As for the pepper, it will give flavor to the raw vegetables and so if it is freshly ground, it would be ideal.
3
Leave to stand in the refrigerator for about an hour then remove;
4
Mix the mixture with the bread crumbs and the olive oil in two or three batches depending on the size of your appliance, adding approximately 15 to 20 cl of water until the mixture is smooth;
5
Now pour the mixture into a strainer to extract the liquid. Press with a ladle or spatula to easily and quickly remove the liquid and get rid of any debris that comes out;
6
If the soup seems too thick, add a little water, stir, taste the seasoning. Add a teaspoon of white vinegar, salt and season to taste;
7
Now dress your gazpacho in a glass or a deep plate, add the pico de gallo mixture nicely, a line of olive oil and a basil leaf. It can also be served with other garnishes such as cubes of bread (toasted or not), croutons or even pieces of cheese. Although it is a cold dish, tastes can vary, some prefer it lukewarm. If you serve it lukewarm, you can warm it slightly in a saucepan over low heat, without boiling it, in order to preserve its texture and nutritional qualities. Don't forget to serve it with a teaspoon to make the meal pleasant to eat.
Note:
Gazpacho is made with nice, ripe and slightly soft tomatoes, which will give an extraordinary taste and color to your soup. For example, choose beefsteak tomatoes that have more flesh, this will also give a nice texture to the soup. As for olive oil, it is what will give a creamy texture and a better taste to the soup. So opt for a good quality and especially put in a good quantity when mixing. You can add protein ingredients such as ham, cheese, eggs, tuna, etc. to make the gazpacho more nourishing and satisfying. However, it should be remembered that gazpacho is traditionally a cold soup made from vegetables, and that the addition of these protein ingredients can change the nature of the recipe which is essentially vegetarian. If you want to add protein to gazpacho, you can try using chickpeas, white beans or lentils, which are plant-based sources of protein and also work well in the recipe.
