At least that's what the New York Times claimed. So I figured I had to try it. It turned out to be the best gazpacho I've ever made–creamy, flavorful, with an amazing mouth feel. It was simple to prepare, and so perfect for hot summer days. Inspired by the gazpacho at a local restaurant, I have added one additional ingredient to the Times recipe—watermelon! It's totally optional, but adds another layer of wonderful flavor to this already delicious soup.
Ingredients:
• 3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1 long, light green pepper (like Anaheim) seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion peeled and chopped
• 1 medium sized cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup watermelon, peeled and chopped (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions:
Place all of the vegetables (and the watermelon, if using) in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. I had to do this in two batches since it didn't all fit in my 1-Litre blender. You could also halve the recipe (it made about 8-10 servings).
Add the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and blend until creamy. The Times recipe said to drizzle the olive oil while the blender is running, but mine has a top motor, so I couldn't use this technique. But it turned out fine. The directions also said to strain it for a super smooth texture, but I didn't. And I was very happy with the texture–it was thick and velvety.
Chill for a few hours or even over night (the longer it sits, the more the flavors will blend). Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top. Enjoy!
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