Gazpacho andaluz

Hailing from the Andalucian region of Southern Spain, gazpacho is traditionally served in summer, when the tomatoes are at their best and chilled soups offer welcome relief from the heat. The mixture can be refrigerated overnight, then pureed just before serving.

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 litres cold water
• 250 ml (1 cup) white vinegar
• 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 day-old vienna or pane di casa loaf, crusts removed, roughly cut
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5–6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 red capsicum, seeded, roughly chopped
• 1 green capsicum, seeded, roughly chopped
• 1 large cucumber, half peeled (a little skin left on adds flavour), roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp salt

Chilling time 2 hours

Instructions

Combine the water, vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the bread, garlic and vegetables. Mix well with your hands and add the salt. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Puree the mixture in a blender and strain before serving.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.