Gazpacho

Recipe Image

I fell in love with Gazpacho when my Spanish friend Pilu made it for me.  She brought it with her in a flask to a picnic we had in Central Park, giving me my first taste of this classic soup.  I was very impressed – even more so when I learnt what a speedy recipe it can be.

Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 spring onion, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ½ red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • small handful of basil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

  • 4 ice-cubes
  • 1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped

Jennifers Tips

If you like a sharper taste, replace the lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. If you have more time, chill the soup in the fridge and then serve immediately (no need for the ice cubes).

Photo and recipe taken from The Balance Diet Cookbook.

Preparation
  • Put the spring onions, tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, garlic and basil in a blender, and blend until completely smooth – about 2 minutes of continuous blending.
  • Add the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper, and stir to mix.  Taste and adjust seasoning where necessary.
  • If the soup seems too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of cold water, and stir through.
  • Place 2 ice-cubes into each chilled bowl, divide the soup between the bowls, and sprinkle the basil on top. Serve immediately.