Gazpacho has to be one of the easiest soups to make – a bit of chopping, whizzing and stirring and the soup is ready. Since some find raw peppers indigestible, some, like me, can’t eat onions or garlic – and so it goes on, here is a variable version of gazpacho.
The basic soup:
- 500g/ 1lb ripe tomatoes – can deseed them if preferred.
- ½ cucumber, deseeded.
- 1 red chilli, deseeded.
- ½ red pepper, deseeded. Optional.
- 2 small or 1 medium spring onion.
- 1 clove garlic. Optional.
- 50ml/¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbspn sherry/wine/cider/balsamic vinegar
- About 10 mint leaves
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper.
- Tabasco sauce if extra heat required
- Chop what needs chopping, bung all in a food processor or large bowl with hand held blender and whizz away until as smooth as desired. Check the seasoning.
Optional extras.
- 75g/3oz bread (!). Apparently Genius bread tastes very good and is gluten free.
- ½ – 1 clove garlic – optional.
- Breadcrumb the bread with the garlic.
- Stir into the soup.
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and chopped up small
- ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped up small
- Spring onion – chopped up small
- Black olives
- Bits of ham/cooked chicken/beef etc – or fish. Could make it a cold bouillabaisse….
All these bits and pieces can be added or left out or served on the side. Therfore: bespoke Gazpacho.
