Gazpacho

Ingredients

For the Soup:

1 Cucumber, peeled and chopped.
1 Green bell pepper, seeded and chopped.
3 Pounds ripe plum tomatoes, chopped.
2 Glarlic cloves.
1/4 Cup Sherry vinegar.
1/4 Cup Oloroso Sherry.
3/4 Cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil.

For the garnish:

2 1-inch-thick slices of rustic bread.
1/4 Cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil.
1/2 Cucumber.
12 Cherry tomatoes, halved
Sea salt to taste

Method

Prepare the soup:

Combine the cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sherry, olive oil and 2 cups water in a food processor or blender. (You may need to do this in batches, depending on the capacity of your blender)

Puree the ingredients until everything is well blended into a thick pink liquid. Pour the Gazpacho through a medium-hole strainer into a pitcher. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Prepare the garnish:

Preheat the oven to 205ºC. Cut the bread into 2cm cubes and toss in a mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set the croutons aside to cool.

When you are ready to serve, slice the cucumber into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Put a few croutons, cherry tomato halves and cucumber ribbons in each bowl and pour the gazpacho over them. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Recipe provided by Flavours of Spain Catering