Don't always think of gazpacho as soup. Think of it as a sauce. Think of it hot as well as cold. It goes beautifully with grilled chicken or fish. Gazpacho is served in small portions as a canape at the French Laundry, garnished with balsamic glaze, or as a sauce with the Salad of Globe Artichokes with Garden Hers and Gazpacho (see separate recipe). It can also be served in larger portions as a traditional cold soup. This soup couldn't be easier, it achieves its powerful flavor simply by overnight maceration, which is the only "cooking" involved.
Ingredients
1cupchopped red onions
1cupchopped green bell pepper
1cupchopped English cucumber
1cuppeeled and chopped tomatoes
1½tspchopped garlic
1½tspkosher salt
¼cuptomato paste
1tbspwhite wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons
1tbspfresh lemon juice
3cupstomato juice
1sprig of thyme
balsamic glaze (see separate recipe)
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients except the balsamic glaze together in a bowl or other container, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, remove teh thyme and blend all the ingredients in a blender until the gazpacho is smooth. you will have about 2 quarts. For a smoother texture, strain the soup to yield about 1 quart.
Refrigerate the gazpacho until ready to serve
To complete: Ladle the cold soup into bowls and squeeze dots of balsamic glaze over the top.