This tangy marriage of fresh tomato, cucumber, pepper, and onion is a summer favorite. The flavor of gazpacho improves if allowed to chill overnight, but thereafter this soup has a short shelf life because the tomatoes sour very quickly. It this best prepared no more than a day or two before it will be eaten.
If the soup is too thin for your taste, add about 1 cup of freshly made white bread crumbs before chilling. If it's too thick, the consistency can be thinned by adding more tomato juice or water. Part of the tomato juice can be replaced with fish broth or clam juice. If desired.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Reserve 2 tablespoons each of the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and pepper for the garnish.
Step 2
2. Puree the remaining tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper in a food processor or blender along with the garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, and herbs until fairly smooth but with some texture remaining.
Step 3
3. Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, the red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
Step 4
4. After chilling, check the seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with the reserved vegetables, croutons, and chives.
