If you have about 15 minutes and a kitchen full of summer produce, you will love this gazpacho. It’s silky smooth and bursting with flavor. One key is to make it the day before to let it sit in the fridge overnight so those flavors can develop and you can serve it super chilled. For those gluten-phobes out there, this one is for you. Yes, I know a lot of gazpacho is made with stale bread, but you won’t miss it in this version. The Smoked Paprika Oil is a recent find from my favorite cooking mag, Milk Street. Ever since I started making it a few weeks ago, I have been drizzling it on everything from hummus to avocado toast to grilled/roasted veggies and more. It’s downright addictive!
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut in half
1 mild chile pepper, deveined and seeded (if I’m feeling ambitious, otherwise I just use the entire pepper). I have used fire-roasted New Mexican green chiles, but raw green Anaheims are more traditional.
1 cucumber peeled and cut into big chunks
1 small red or white onion peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon good quality salt or more to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup great quality olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Gazpacho
- Combine the tomatoes, chile pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, sherry and salt in a blender and blend until very smooth — about two or three minutes depending on the strength of your blender. Silky smooth is the goal!
- Turn the blender down and then slowly pour in the olive oil. The soup will usually turn from dark to light as the oil becomes emulsified. Give the soup a taste and adjust for sherry and salt. Some people run the soup through a sieve at this point, but I think it’s completely unnecessary. But if you feel the need…
- Store in a pitcher and chill overnight. Serve with smoked paprika oil drizzled on top.
Smoked Paprika Oil
- In a small saucepan, heat up 1/4 cup neutral oil (sunflower or avocado are great choices) for about two or three minutes, but don’t let it boil. Take off the heat and slowly whisk in 1/4 cup smoked paprika and salt.
- Let cool and then store in a glass jar for about a month in your fridge.
By Annie Brown.
