Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Tomato
• 1 large Cucumber
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 oz (about 2 slices) Sourdough Bread
• 3 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar -- substitute: Rice Vinegar, Sherry Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 medium red onion Onion -- substitute: Shallot

Steps

1. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, removing the cores. Peel the garlic cloves and cut the cucumber into rough chunks. Tear the bread into pieces and soak it in the white-wine vinegar for 2 minutes until softened.

   5 min — bread should be fully saturated and falling apart easily

2. Add the soaked bread, tomato quarters, garlic, and half of the cucumber chunks to a blender or food mill.

   2 min

3. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and silky, about 1–2 minutes, working in batches if needed. The texture should be uniform with no visible chunks.

   2 min — completely smooth and pourable, no visible tomato or bread pieces

4. Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to extract all liquid and pulp. Discard any solids left in the sieve.

   5 min — most of the purée passes through; only dry fibrous bits remain

5. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with more vinegar, salt, or pepper as needed.

   2 min — oil is fully incorporated and the soup has a balanced, bright flavor

6. Dice the remaining cucumber into small cubes. Dice the bell pepper into small cubes. Dice the red onion finely.

   5 min — all vegetables are cut into uniform, small pieces

7. Refrigerate the gazpacho for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled. The soup should be very cold before serving.

   120 min — soup is ice-cold when a spoon dipped in it feels cold to the touch

8. Just before serving, stir the gazpacho well and divide among chilled bowls. Top each bowl with the diced cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.

   3 min — soup is poured smoothly and garnishes sit on top

Plating ideas

• Serve in chilled bowls with a drizzle of fruity olive oil, a scatter of diced tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper on top, and a few croutons made from toasted bread cubes. — The contrast of cold soup with warm, crispy croutons is traditional and textural
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves, a pinch of smoked paprika, and a small dollop of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt in the center. — Adds richness and a touch of herbaceous brightness to balance the acidity
• Pour into small glasses or cups for a casual, hand-held appetizer format, topped with finely minced red onion and a single basil leaf. — Perfect for outdoor summer entertaining or tapas-style service