Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold soup from Andalusia made by blending ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and garlic with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Soaking stale bread in water and blending it into the mixture releases starch that gives the soup its characteristic body and velvety texture. The olive oil wraps around the fresh vegetable flavors, while the vinegar sharpens the natural sweetness of the tomatoes into a balanced acidity. Chilling the blended soup for at least two hours allows the flavors to marry and deepen. Just before serving, a drizzle of olive oil and finely diced cucumber and pepper on top provide a textural contrast against the smooth, cold base.
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Instructions
- 1
Soak stale bread in water until soft.
- 2
Roughly chop all vegetables and add to a blender.
- 3
Add soaked bread, olive oil, vinegar, and salt; blend until smooth.
- 4
Strain through a fine sieve and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- 5
Serve well chilled.
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