After Barney (The Simpsons) attempts to mock Lisa by saying ‘Go back to Russia!’ when she offers up gazpacho at a BBQ many thought gazpacho was a Russian dish…
However, gazpacho is an Andalusian dish (like paella) made of blended raw vegetables. This cold soup is a classic. Eaten widely throughout Spain in the summer, it’s delicious and cooling.
So many of my friends are suspicious of cold soup but this refreshing, summery dish is a must when the sun’s shinning. I once heard it described as ‘salad soup’ which is very apt and, just like you can’t go the whole summer without having salad, I can’t go the whole summer without gazpacho!
There are two ways to texture this dish. Either pureed, like soup, or chunky. I love it both ways. For this recipe, I’ve omitted the bread and gone for the chunky variety. If you want bread, which adds body and creaminess to your soup, you can of course follow the more traditional method – just make sure to use low-FODMAP bread.
As all the ingredients are raw you want to wash them thoroughly. Also, it’s important that the tomatoes you use are ripe. I use either plum tomatoes or vine ripened. Don’t skimp on your tomatoes; gazpacho is only as good as the ingredients you use! Gazpacho is originally a peasant dish, a way of using up old ingredients and limiting waste and it can be made with whatever happens to be ripe at the time.
To me the pungent garlicky flavour is essential to gazpacho. If you are not following a low-FODMAP diet or you tolerate garlic well, I suggest you add some minced garlic to this recipe. However, fellow fodmappers, what I do is drizzle some goo (garlic infused olive oil) into the gazpacho just before serving.
I hope you guys enjoy this humble dish as much as I do!
Refreshing Chunky Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe plum tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes
- 1/2 English cucumber washed and peeled
- 1 small or half medium red pepper
- 1 small or half medium green pepper
- 1 small or half medium yellow pepper
- 1 tbsp chives
- 1-2 tbsp sherry
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Pinch paprika
- 2 generous pinches dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic infused olive oil goo
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and chop all your vegetables
- Add your tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth
- Add all other ingredients to the blender and pulse until you reach desired consistency
- Add salt and black pepper, to taste
- Drizzle or stir in some garlic infused olive oil just before serving
Notes
- This can either be eaten as a starter in which case it serves 8, or as a main for 4.
- Don’t chill the soup with ice cubes! - You’ll dilute the flavours. Instead make it ahead of time and chill before serving.
- You can use more chilli if you like but too much will detract from the refreshingness of the soup.
Refreshing Summer soup , I put in blender with some bread until constituency very smooth as that is how I
prefer it .
That sounds delicious! I like the creaminess of bread in gazpacho too, especially as a main. I usually serve this recipe as a starter as it’s lovely and light.