Best Gazpacho¶

| 8-12 | 0 minutes |
Ingredients¶
- 2 lbs ripe red tomatoes
- 1 Italian frying pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 1 small mild onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- some salt
- some sherry vinegar
- some ice water
- some extra-virgin olive oil
Cookware¶
- 1 blender
- 1 bowl
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 strainer
- 1 food mill
- 1 spatula
- 1 ladle
- 1 pitcher
Instructions¶
Step 1¶
Combine ripe red tomatoes (cored and roughly cut into chunks), Italian frying pepper (or cubanelle or Anaheim pepper, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks), cucumber (about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks), small mild onion (white or red, peeled and roughly cut into chunks), and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
Step 2¶
With the motor running, add sherry vinegar (more to taste) and salt. Slowly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil (more to taste, plus more for drizzling). The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
Step 3¶
Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 4¶
Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and sherry vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of extra-virgin olive oil on top are a nice touch.