For fans of fresh food, August is go time. Markets are full of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. And it’s so hot, we need relief from cooking. That’s when I reach for the best gazpacho recipe I know.
In Spain, there are all kinds of gazpachos, from the traditional red one, based on tomatoes, to white gazpachos made with bread and almonds. But my favorite one is a recipe I found several years ago by Julia Moskin of The New York Times.
It takes practically no work and definitely no cooking. All you need is a blender, a couple of pounds of red tomatoes, a cucumber, a long sweet pepper, half of an onion and lots of olive oil.
And the health benefits? This nutrient-rich dish contains vitamins A, C and K, along with potassium and folate, which play a supporting role in immune function and overall well-being. It’s heart-healthy and low in calories. I could go on and on ….
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Every summer, I make endless batches of it. If I’m going to the beach, I pack along a pitcher in a cooler. If I’m at home, there’s always a cold pitcher of it in the refrigerator. At the end of a long summer day, when I’m too hot to even think about what to make for dinner, I pour a little espresso cup of gazpacho and garnish it with a few drops of olive oil and a little bit of flaky sea salt. A few sips and I’m refreshed and ready to tackle anything.
The trick to the creamy, fluffy texture of this gazpacho is to give it plenty of time in the blender, and press it through a sieve to remove the tomato skins and seeds. There’s only one thing I’d change in Moskin’s recipe. Instead of calling it The Best Gazpacho, I’d call it The Best Freaking Gazpacho.
The Best Gazpacho from Julia Moskin of The New York Times.
You can use any kind of tomatoes, from Romas to beefsteaks. For the pepper, look for a long sweet pepper, such as a green Anaheim or a yellow Cubanelle or an Italian frying pepper.
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds red tomatoes
- 1 long sweet pepper, such as an Anaheim, cubanelle or frying pepper
- 1 cucumber, about 6 to 8 inches long
- 1 small onion, red or yellow, or half of a larger onion
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup good olive oil, plus more for garnish if needed
Directions
Core the tomatoes and remove any spots. Cut into large chunks and place in a blender. Cut the stem end off the pepper and cut away the flesh, discarding the core and seeds. Cut the flesh into chunks and add to the blender jar.
Peel the cucumber, cut into chunks and add to the blender jar, along with the peeled, chunked onion and the garlic.
Place the lid on the blender jar and puree on high speed for 2 minutes, stopping to push the contents down with a rubber spatula if needed. (You can work in two batches if you need to, although the vegetables will reduce in size quickly when you blend them.)
Add the salt and sherry vinegar and blend again briefly. Remove the center cap from the lid and slowly drizzle in the oil with the motor running. (Cover the blender lid if needed to keep it from splashing when you start it up.)
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, using the spatula to press the mixture through the sieve. Discard any solids. Transfer the gazpacho to a pitcher and refrigerate until very cold. Serve cold, garnished with a few drops of olive oil. Will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Yield: 10 servings. Per serving: 122 calories; 11g fat (2g saturated); 6g carbohydrates; 2g dietary fiber; 4g sugar; 1g protein; 365mg sodium.
