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Gazpacho

Name: Gazpacho
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 1 kg ripe tomatoes, the best of summer, cored; 1/2 cucumber, peeled; 1 green Italian pepper, or half a green bell; 1 garlic clove; 50 g stale white bread, soaked briefly in water; 2 tbsp sherry vinegar; 100 ml extra virgin olive oil, good enough to sip; 1 tsp fine salt; diced cucumber, pepper and croutons, to garnish

Andalusian gazpacho as Spain actually makes it: ripe tomatoes, sherry vinegar, good olive oil and bread, blended silky and served very cold.

prep: 20 min
cook: 0 min
total: 20 min
serves: 4
level: easy

Real Andalusian gazpacho is not chunky salsa in a bowl; it is a smooth, cold emulsion the color of coral, built on dead-ripe tomatoes, sherry vinegar and enough good olive oil to turn silk.

The oil is blended in slowly at the end, emulsifying like mayonnaise, which is why proper gazpacho is creamy with no cream anywhere near it.

Gazpacho is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.

method

Blend the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, soaked bread, vinegar and salt on high for a full 2 minutes.
With the blender running, pour in the olive oil in a slow stream and watch the color lighten as it emulsifies.
Pass through a sieve for true silk, pressing well.
Chill at least 2 hours; gazpacho is a temperature as much as a recipe.
Taste cold and re-season (cold mutes salt and vinegar), then serve in bowls or glasses with the garnishes.

chef's tips

Tomatoes carry the whole dish; out of season, do not bother.
The slow oil pour is the texture; dumping it in makes it greasy instead of creamy.
A glass of gazpacho from the fridge is a legitimate Spanish snack at any hour.