Classic Spanish Gazpacho

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   PREPARE THE VEGETABLES: Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find - gazpacho is only as good as its tomatoes. Core the tomatoes and quarter them. Peel and roughly chop the cucumber. Roughly chop the bell pepper and red onion. Everything will be blended, so exact cuts don't matter.

2. 2

   BLEND THE VEGETABLES: Add tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. For an extra-smooth soup, strain through a fine-mesh sieve (optional).

3. 3

   ADD THE SEASONINGS: With the blender running on low, drizzle in the sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar if unavailable) and olive oil. The oil will emulsify slightly, creating a silky texture. Blend for another 30 seconds.

4. 4

   ADJUST CONSISTENCY: Pour the soup into a large bowl or pitcher. Stir in tomato juice to reach your desired consistency - more juice for a thinner soup, less for thicker. Some prefer it thick enough to eat with a spoon, others like it thin enough to drink.

5. 5

   SEASON AND CHILL: Season generously with salt (gazpacho needs more salt than you think) and black pepper. Taste and adjust. The flavors will meld and intensify as it chills. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. The soup must be VERY cold to serve.

6. 6

   SERVE: Ladle the chilled soup into cold bowls (chill the bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes for best results). Drizzle with your best olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Traditional garnishes include diced cucumber, croutons (use GF), or diced hard-boiled egg.