The Best Gazpacho (Ever)
Many years back I lived in Spain for a summer, where I worked as an au pair. There, I learned many new things about my Abuelita's (small grandmother, as we called her) culture. Among them were how to say "be careful!" to a 4-year-old boy I suddenly found myself responsible for (cuidado!), how to swallow your pride and be the first to go to bed at midnight -- including of all neighbourhood kids -- and how to make the best gazpacho.
Since this time, I've surveyed hundreds of other gazpacho recipes. Most are overwhelmed with a spectrum of summery ingredients. This one is simple. It also is passed down, generation by generation, to the mother of the house - and for this reason it is very special and also especially delicious.
This recipe is vegan but can be modified according to your taste. Think of it as an initial starting point - though a fine one. One note on the process: Spaniards drizzle the olive oil slowly into the blender as everything mixes, but I've had just as much luck pouring it in. The trick, like much good food, is to use the highest-quality ingredients you can find. From my perspective, this will almost always happen by visiting the local Farmer's Market and using Maldon sea salt rather than regular salt at any and every juncture :)
The Best Gazpacho Ever
Ingredients:
-5 very ripe large red heirloom tomatoes
-generous sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
-pepper
-1 or 2 cloves of garlic
-1/4+ cup extra virgin olive oil
-handful of sourdough, ciabatta, or wheat bread
Process:
Blend everything together until creamy, chill for 4-5 hours in the fridge, and ENJOY!
Possible Toppings:
chopped cucumber, peppers, avocado, cherry tomatos; creme fraiche with a drizzle of EVOO if you’re feeling indulgent, more Maldon, pepper; SUPER NON VEGAN BUT DELISH: hard-boiled eggs / bacon crumbles (as the spanish do)
As you will find, this recipe is incredibly EASY. So put on some tunes, pour yourself a glass of red wine (preferably a spanish rioja) and ENJOY the goodness.
Cheers, Samantha