Gazpacho
I come from Bordeaux where Spain is just 2 hours away…I grew up spending a lot of time in this amazing country discovering delicious wines and amazing food. Gazpacho is a classic Spanish dish that is served as a cold soup. This is one of my family’s favourite recipes during hot summer days. A touch of espelette pepper is a nice addition but hard to find in Canada. You can use smoked paprika to replace the espelette.
Enjoy!
-Pénélope Roche
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of ripe Roma tomatoes, halved and cored
- 1 small cucumber (1/2 lb), peeled and seeded
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cored
- 1/2 small red onion, peeled
- 2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large clove), peeled
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of espelette pepper or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 thick slice of white bread, soaked, crusts removed
- optional garnishes: homemade croutons, chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, or any leftover chopped gazpacho ingredients
Directions
- Purée. Combine all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Purée for 1 minute, or until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
- Season. Taste and season with extra salt, vinegar, pepper and/or cumin, if needed.
- Chill. Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3-4 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Serve. Serve cold, topped with your desired garnishes.
Enjoy!
Espelette pepper is traditionally cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées – Atlantiques in the northern territory of the Basque country. It is an incredibly special kind of pepper with a fruitful elegant smoky flavour.
Yield: 4-6 servings.