Summer Gazpacho
When we visited Spain last fall, my sister and I went to an organic vineyard and had a picnic out in the vineyard. They gave us a basket full of delicious food, and one thing in it was gazpacho — it was the first time I'd ever had it, and it was the most refreshing, delicious thing I'd ever tasted. I thought about it for a while after we got home. So all that to say, when it was unbearably hot last week I decided to make fresh homemade gazpacho with crunchy bread on the side, and it hit the spot. The perfect thing for a hot summer day. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2–3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar, divided
1½ tsp sea salt
8 large basil leaves, plus more to garnish
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
For serving
cherry tomatoes, quartered
green onions, thinly sliced
flaky sea salt
black pepper
baguette, sliced
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Instructions
Marinate the vegetables: In a bowl, combine the cucumber, cubanelle pepper, ripe tomatoes, shallot, garlic, 2 tbsp of the red wine vinegar, and the sea salt. Toss well and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Blend: Add the marinated vegetables and basil to a blender. Blend while streaming in ¼ cup of the olive oil, until smooth and creamy.
Season and chill: Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the remaining vinegar or olive oil as needed. Chill for at least 30 minutes — longer is better, as the flavor deepens overnight.
Make the topping: Meanwhile, combine the cherry tomatoes and green onions with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with flaky salt and black pepper.
Toast the bread: Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and toast until golden.
Serve: Ladle the gazpacho into bowls and top with the cherry tomato mixture, more fresh basil, flaky salt, and pepper. Serve with the toasted bread alongside.
Cheers to healthy living!
xx
Victoria and Eric
Tips From Our Kitchen:
Make It Ahead: Gazpacho only gets better with time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days — the flavor deepens overnight, so it's a great one to make the day before. Keep the toppings and bread separate until serving.
Best Tomatoes: This is a recipe where the produce is everything. Use peak-season, ripe tomatoes — the flavor of the whole dish depends on them. Farmers market tomatoes in late summer are ideal.
Olive Oil: Since the olive oil is streamed right in and really carries the dish, use a good extra-virgin olive oil you'd be happy tasting on its own. Look for one that's cold-pressed with a harvest date on the bottle.
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