Andalusian Gazpacho

• 1kg ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 30ml sherry vinegar
• Salt to taste
• Cold water as needed

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Wash and chop all the vegetables. If the tomatoes have thick skin, blanch them briefly.

2. 2

   Blend everything in a powerful blender for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

3. 3

   While blending, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify the mixture.

4. 4

   Strain through a fine sieve if a smoother texture is desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar.

5. 5

   Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with diced tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper.

💡 Chef's tip

Chill the gazpacho for at least 2 hours in the fridge before serving. The flavours settle and the texture improves markedly.

📝 Our take

Real gazpacho has no mystery but does have one trap: the tomatoes must be genuinely ripe. With summer tomatoes this dish is hard to beat in the heat. With February greenhouse tomatoes, it is just coloured water.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Serve alone, very cold, as a starter. Or with a splash of dry Jerez sherry as a summer aperitif.