Gazpacho The Monday To Friday Way Food

GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Bring salted water to a boil in a medium pot. Cut an "x" shape on the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes. Boil the tomatoes until the skin begins to peel back, about 20 to 30 seconds. Plunge the tomatoes into a bowl of iced water to chill. Peel and seed the tomatoes, then chop them.
• In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, and tomato juice. Mix well, and then add the diced bread to soak. In another bowl, combine the chopped tomato, cucumber, red pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Reserve 1/2 cup of this chopped mixture for garnish, if desired.
• Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Serve chilled and garnish with the avocado and reserved diced vegetables, if desired.

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.