Cold Gazpacho Soup
Oh what a discovery this recipe is!
I’ve tried gazpacho soup in Portugal many years ago and wasn’t overly impressed. However with the sun ripe tomatoes from the garden and cold cut cucumbers, bell peppers and red onions…combined with a wonderful spicy tomato base.. well I’m converted.
This is a great soup and must be tried. Especially when it’s hot and 39°C as it’s been this week in Italy. Although don’t attempt this soup if you don’t have some delicious tomatoes handy (bland greenish looking ones just won’t do). This is a pure alkaline bliss and as nothing is cooked, every single nutrient remains in tact as well.
Start by removing the tomato skin. I thought this would be tricky but was so simple and skin fell off. Insert a cross on the end of tomatoes, boil for 1 min then place in ice water. Remove the skin…I used 2 different types from the vege patch…
Remove most of the seeds from the large tomatoes. Then chop tomatoes, red bell peppers, cucumber and red onions into small cubes…
Add in all the spices…
Make the tomato base by using tasty cherry tomatoes, a dash of worchestire sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lime juice… whizz it until smooth then place it in a strainer so only the sauce is extracted…takes a quick minute but you can speed up process by stirring and pressing down with a spoon…
Once the sauce is blended with the diced vegetables, I take half of the soup mixture above and blend it until smooth again. Then add it back to the remaining half and mix well. Chill for an hour or two and serve into bowls with some sliced basil leaves, himalayan salt and peppar to taste. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
500 grms cherry tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Insert a cross into tomato base, boil in a saucepan of water for 1 min, then place in ice water for a few minutes. Remove the peel. Note - only for large tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are used below with skin on).
Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion and garlic in a large bowl.
Stir in salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
Place cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Cover and puree until smooth.
Pour pureed mixture through a strainer into the tomato-cucumber mixture; stir to combine.
Place ½ of the tomato mixture into the blender. Cover, turn blender on, and puree until smooth.
Return pureed mixture to the remaining tomato-cucumber mixture. Stir to combine.
Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Season cold soup with salt and black pepper to taste and top with basil.
