Traditional Gazpacho Recipes

AUTHENTIC GAZPACHO RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash and dry all of the vegetables very well-if you prefer to peel the tomatoes you can, although I usually leave the skin on.
• Cut the tomatoes into 4 slices (leaving the core behind) and put into your blender.
• Halve, core, and de-seed the pepper. Cut it into a few slices and add to the blender.
• Peel the garlic and slice it in half. Remove the core (which often results in bitterness when not cooked).
• Cut the onion into a few slices and add it to the blender too.
• Peel the cucumber and cut it in half. Add half to the blender and save the other half for a topping.
• Blend the vegetables at a high speed until it is completely pureed.
• Add the salt and vinegar and, while blending on a slow speed, slowly add the olive oil.
• Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. If the texture is too thick for your liking add some cold water.
• Refrigerate and serve VERY cold! Add as many (or as few) toppings as you like.

TRADITIONAL GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Make the gazpacho: Cover bread with cold water, and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cover garlic with water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes; drain.
• Transfer garlic to a blender. Squeeze excess liquid from bread, and transfer bread to blender. Add 2 teaspoons salt, the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and vinegars. Puree until smooth. With machine running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream, blending until emulsified. Blend in cold water. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate gazpacho until chilled, at least 3 hours (or up to 1 day).
• Make the croutons: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add bread, and fry, tossing constantly, until pale gold and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bread to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide chilled gazpacho among 6 bowls. Drizzle with oil, and top with croutons just before serving.

GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!
• After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Put the onion, garlic, pepper, tomatoes and bread in a food processor and blend until finely chopped, but not too smooth. Tip into a large bowl with the passata, stock, oil, vinegar, Tabasco or harissa, sugar and seasoning. Mix well, cover the bowl with cling film or foil and put in the fridge for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
• To serve, pour into small bowls or glasses, drizzle over a little olive oil and sprinkle with a few torn basil leaves.

BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Prepare a bowl with ice water.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut crosses into the bottom of the tomatoes with a sharp knife, and blanch tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin begins to come off. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse in the ice water.
• Remove skin from the tomatoes and cut out the seeds over a bowl (so that no juice is lost); discard the seeds.
• If the cucumber is organic, leave the peel on; otherwise peel it. Remove seeds of cucumber and roughly chop.
• Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, and red wine vinegar in a food processor or blender; blend until gazpacho has desired consistency, either coarsely chopped or finely pureed. Slowly add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Puree again briefly.
• Refrigerate gazpacho until cold, at least 1 hour. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

TRADITIONAL GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bread, oil, vinegar, and garlic with 1 cup water in a blender; process until smooth. If the gazpacho seems too thick, thin with additional water.
• Taste and add salt and black pepper as necessary. Serve immediately (or refrigerate and serve within a couple of hours. Drizzle with additional olive oil.