Gazpacho

Matériel

• Blender (jug or powerful stick blender)
• Fine sieve
• Large bowl or jug
• Small bowl for soaking the bread
• Chopping board and sharp knife

Avant de commencer

1. Choose the ripest tomatoes you can find; they carry the whole soup.
2. Chill the serving bowls or glasses in the fridge.
3. Remove the green germ from the garlic clove.

Préparation

1. 1

   Soak the bread

   50 g stale white bread100 ml cold water

   Tear the bread into pieces and soak it in the cold water for 10 minutes.

   C'est prêt quand The bread is soft all the way through and falls apart when you press it.

   Lancer le minuteur de 10 min
2. 2

   Prepare the tomatoes

   1 kg ripe tomatoes

   Cut out the tomato cores and chop the tomatoes roughly. There is no need to peel them; the sieve removes the skins.

   C'est prêt quand The tomatoes are in rough chunks and have released some red juice on the board.
3. 3

   Chop the vegetables

   150 g cucumber100 g green pepper1 gousse garlic

   Chop the peeled cucumber and the seeded green pepper into large pieces. Halve the garlic.

   C'est prêt quand Everything is in pieces small enough for the blender to catch easily.
4. 4

   Blend the base

   1 kg ripe tomatoes150 g cucumber100 g green pepper1 gousse garlic50 g stale white bread5 g fine salt30 ml sherry vinegar

   Put the tomatoes in the blender first, then the cucumber, pepper, garlic, squeezed bread, salt and half of the vinegar. Blend on high speed for 1 minute.

   C'est prêt quand A smooth, bright red purée with no visible pieces of vegetable.

   Astuce Tomatoes at the bottom give the blades liquid to work with, so nothing jams.

   Lancer le minuteur de 1 min
5. 5

   Emulsify the oil

   80 ml extra virgin olive oil

   With the blender running on medium speed, pour in the olive oil in a thin stream and blend for 1 more minute.

   C'est prêt quand The colour turns from red to pale orange-pink and the soup looks creamy and slightly thick.

   Astuce Pouring the oil all at once leaves it floating on top. A slow stream is what makes it creamy.

   Lancer le minuteur de 1 min
6. 6

   Strain

   Pour the soup through the fine sieve into the bowl, pressing with a ladle. Discard the skins and seeds left in the sieve.

   C'est prêt quand The soup is silky and pours smoothly; only dry pulp and seeds stay in the sieve.
7. 7

   Adjust

   5 g fine salt30 ml sherry vinegar100 ml cold water

   Taste and add more salt and the rest of the vinegar to taste. Stir in a little cold water if it is too thick.

   C'est prêt quand It tastes fresh and sharp but balanced, and coats a spoon like single cream.
8. 8

   Chill

   Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

   C'est prêt quand The soup is very cold, about 4–6 °C, and the bowl feels icy to the touch.

   Astuce Cold dulls salt and acidity, so taste again after chilling.

   Lancer le minuteur de 2 h
9. 9

   Prepare the garnish

   50 g cucumber30 g green pepper20 g spring onion or mild onion

   Dice the garnish cucumber, pepper and onion into small, even cubes and keep them cold.

   C'est prêt quand Neat 5 mm cubes, crisp and dry.
10. 10

    Serve

    80 ml extra virgin olive oil

    Stir the gazpacho, pour it into chilled bowls or glasses, scatter over the garnish and finish with a thread of the reserved olive oil.

    C'est prêt quand The soup is cold and smooth, with green dice and golden drops of oil on the surface.

Erreurs courantes

Variantes