There are few things more refreshing on a hot summer afternoon than a freshly blended Andalucían-style gazpacho soup, blitzed up with the season’s freshest tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and a kick of spicy jalapeño.
It’s no surprise that this incredibly refreshing soup originated in Andalucía, the southernmost part of the Spanish peninsula that’s no stranger to temps topping 100°F in the summer (ouch!). While temps in the mid 80s in the PNW have nothing on sweltering Spanish summers, it still merits some creativity in the kitchen to keep things cool. Rule number one: keep the oven off at all costs.
Depending on which way you look at it, gazpacho is essentially a savory smoothie, enjoyed with a spoon (or straw), a dollop of creme, and a hunk of toasted sourdough bread rubbed in salt and olive oil. It keeps well in a big jar in the fridge for the perfect summer appetizer or light dinner.
Ingredients:
8 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup tomato juice
1-2 medium cucumbers, peeled roughly chopped
⅓ medium red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ small jalapaño (more if you prefer it spicier), diced
2 Tbsp. red or white wine vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. your favorite hot sauce, plus more to taste
Sourdough bread, toasted (or grilled) and rubbed with olive oil and salt
Herby crème fraîche
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 Tbsp. chives
1 Tbsp. mint
1 Tbsp. Parsley
½ tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
Directions:
Toss everything into a food processor or high speed blender.
Blend for about 5 minutes or until it resembles a thick soup. Continue blending if you prefer a thinner consistency. Add salt to taste.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Stir together all the ingredients in the crème fraîche.
Serve chilled soup with a dollop of herby crème fraîche and toasted sourdough bread.
We originally shared this recipe last summer on the New West Knifeworks blog.
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