Cuban Gazpacho Food

BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
• Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

CUBAN GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Cut the vegetables in chunks. If you like, you can skin the tomatoes but it isn't necessary.
• Process all the vegetables in a blender in small batches with tomato juice and olive oil until you have a thick puree. Add tomato juice and oil with every batch to provide plenty of liquid.
• For the last batch, soak bread in warm water, squeeze out excess water, add the bread and blend well.
• Pour it all into a bowl or, like I do, a pitcher and add the vinegar and lime juice.
• Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.
• Mix well.
• Chill in refrigerator until very cold.
• Just before serving, garnish with all or any combination of the listed garnishes if you wish. The Italian in me likes a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!
• After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

THE BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Place the bread cubes in a small bowl and add enough water to cover. Let soak until the bread is completely saturated, about 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.
• Combine the bread, tomatoes, roughly chopped cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender. (Work in two batches if necessary.) Blend on high speed until creamy and very smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or 8-cup liquid measuring cup. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Season to taste with more salt and pepper and add up to 1 more tablespoon vinegar. Ladle into serving bowls, top with the finely diced cucumber and drizzle with more olive oil. Serve chilled.