Italian Gazpacho Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, green onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a large bowl. Stir in salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
• Place cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture through a strainer into the tomato-cucumber mixture; stir to combine.
• Place 1/3 of the tomato mixture into the blender. Cover, turn blender on, and puree until smooth. Return pureed mixture to the remaining tomato-cucumber mixture. Stir to combine. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Season cold soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with basil.

BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
• Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

THE BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Place the bread cubes in a small bowl and add enough water to cover. Let soak until the bread is completely saturated, about 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.
• Combine the bread, tomatoes, roughly chopped cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender. (Work in two batches if necessary.) Blend on high speed until creamy and very smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or 8-cup liquid measuring cup. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Season to taste with more salt and pepper and add up to 1 more tablespoon vinegar. Ladle into serving bowls, top with the finely diced cucumber and drizzle with more olive oil. Serve chilled.

ITALIAN GAZPACHO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, cucmber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
• Pulse a time or two, or until the vegetables are coarsely chopped.
• Add in the tomato juice, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes.
• Process until the vegetables are finely chopped.
• Be careful not to over process; the gazpacho should not be smooth; may need to process the gazpacho in batches.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cover tightly.
• Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight is better.
• Add more seasoning, if needed, right before serving.
• Ladle cold soup into chilled individual bowls.
• Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
• It is recommended to serve with a cruet of extra virgin olive oil so you can drizzle your soup with oil, to taste.

QUICK CLASSIC GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Process 1/2 cup of tomatoes, along with the water and oil, in a blender or food processor until pureed. Transfer to a medium bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made several hours before serving.)