Gazpacho – My Way: A Refreshing and Flavorful Summer Soup 🌟🍅🥒
Description: Gazpacho, the classic Spanish chilled tomato and cucumber soup, is a summer favorite that never disappoints. This particular recipe, adapted from renowned Australian food writer Margaret Fulton, elevates the traditional dish with a blend of fresh and pantry ingredients. Using canned tomatoes, which often boast more flavor than their fresh counterparts, this version promises a vibrant, chilled soup perfect for hot days. Allowing it to rest in the refrigerator for a day enhances the flavors and ensures it is served delightfully cold.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes (excluding refrigeration)
Category: Vegetable
Keywords: Spanish, European, Low Protein, Low Cholesterol, Healthy, Summer, Quick Prep, Small Appliance
Ingredients:
- 2 cans tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
Instructions:
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Prepare the Tomato Mixture:
- Begin by draining the canned tomatoes and reserving the juice. Place the drained tomatoes into a small saucepan. Add the dry white wine and vegetable stock to the saucepan.
- Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Once done, remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
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Blend the Flavors:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and breadcrumbs. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the light olive oil through the hopper, creating a smooth mixture.
- Continue processing and add the wine vinegar in the same manner. This helps integrate the flavors evenly.
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Process the Tomato Base:
- Carefully add the cooled tomato mixture from the saucepan, along with the reserved tomato juice, to the food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely pureed and smooth.
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Chill the Soup:
- Pour the pureed soup into a non-metallic bowl. Cover and refrigerate thoroughly. Ideally, let it chill overnight to deepen the flavors and achieve the best texture.
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Add Fresh Ingredients:
- Several hours before serving (or the morning of), stir in the diced fresh tomatoes, finely diced red onion, and cucumber into the chilled soup. This adds a fresh, crisp texture to the gazpacho.
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Serve Cold:
- Gazpacho must be served very cold for the best experience. Serve it with garlic-flavored croutons for an extra touch of crunch and flavor.
Enjoy this delightful and refreshing gazpacho as a perfect accompaniment to your summer meals or as a stand-alone light and satisfying dish. 🌿🍴