If you've never had a gazpacho, or you balk at the idea of a cold soup, then I challenge you to try this and not like it. This chilled soup is a delicious as they come and is the perfect thing for serving up on a hot summer's day or a warm, balmy evening. It is super simple to make, totally refreshing and brimming with ripe, summery flavours. The only thing you really need to be fussy with is the tomatoes, as they are the star of the show; so make sure that they are ripe and juicy, as anaemic, hard tomatoes just won't do the job.
Ingredients
1/2 small red onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 medium beetroot, cooked (NOT pickled!)
1kg ripe tomatoes
2 sticks celery
1 cucumber, peeled
1/4 inch root ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp tabasco sauce (or less if you don't like it spicy)
Sea salt
To decorate
Flat leaf parsley
Mint leaves
1 small cooked beetroot, finely sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A few edible flowers
Directions
Place the red onion into a bowl and add the lime juice.
Set aside for 5-10 minutes to soften the onion.
Place the softened onion (and lime juice), beetroot, cucumber, ginger, tomatoes, celery, garlic, sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, tabasco and salt into a food processor, and blitz until you achieve a smooth consistency.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the tomato seeds.
Check for seasoning, adding sea salt and/or black pepper to taste (or a little more tabasco if desired) and then place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.
To serve
Divide the chilled mixture between serving bowls.
Carefully place a couple of slices of beetroot onto the top of the gazpacho.
Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and decorate with a couple of parsley and mint leaves and a few edible flowers.
Serve with some crisp flatbreads or some toasted bread rubbed with a garlic clove.
Amazing xxx