Ingredients
- 8 to 9 large tomatoes, red and ripe
- 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut in large chunks
- 1 red onion, cut in large chunks
- 2 red bell peppers, cut in large chunks
- 1 yellow or orange pepper, cut in large chunks
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
- 3 slices of bread, crust removed
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) red wine vinegar
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500 ml (2 cups) cold water
- Espelette pepper or Tabasco sauce
Preparation
- Cut tomatoes in big wedges.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the remaining vegetables.
- Put aside about 1/4 of them.
- Crumble the bread in the bowl.
- Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Put the preparation in a blender and add garlic, vinegar and oil, alternating with water, to reduce to a thin purée.
- Season as desired. (Seasoning should be quite bold, as this soup is to be eaten cold.)
- Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
- Chop thinly the remaining vegetables. Mix well.
- Serve cold in chilled bowls.
- Garnish each serving with minced vegetables.
Tip:
For a complete meal, accompany gazpacho with a hard-boiled egg, as Spanish used to do.