Gazpacho with Fresh Parsley Oil

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Laden with the sweet, fresh vegetables of the Mediterranean, gazpacho is a super tasty, incredibly healthy soup or drink, with a slight spicy kick. It is served very cold and is perfect on these hot summer days.

A classic Spanish dish, there are many, many variations; this is the basic recipe I work from. It is very simple, very fresh, nothing complicated, with no additional spices, herbs or tomato paste. I really want the vegetables to shine. It is also a very forgiving recipe, so feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes.

Andrew put in a special request for some gazpacho yesterday; something cold to eat (other than ice cream!) on London’s hottest day ever (40C)! Andrew is undeniably a carnivore, so when he goes to work and requests some gazpacho, it shows both how delicious this recipe is, and also how hot it is at the moment!

Use the best, freshest vegetables you can buy and make sure they are ripe:

The key to a great gazpacho is the freshness and sweetness of the vegetables you use – use the best, freshest vegetables you can buy and make sure they are ripe. I use:

• vine ripened tomatoes
• red pepper/capsicum
• red chilli
• red onion
• cucumber
• garlic

Why is it important to remove the garlic core?

The core of garlic can be quite bitter when uncooked. Removing it helps ensure you do not have that bitter taste in your gazpacho.

Smooth or chunky?

I tend to make my gazpacho smooth – I purée and then sieve it. However, it is also delicious served chunky. If you prefer it chunky, pulse half to three quarters of the vegetables in a food processor, add the olive oil and vinegar, chop the remaining vegetables, and then stir these through.

How do you serve Gazpacho?

Gazpacho can be served as a soup or a drink. This recipe is quite thick which is the perfect consistency to eat from a bowl with a spoon. If you prefer to serve it as a drink, simply thin with some fridge cold water until you reach the consistency you are looking for.

Fresh Parsley Oil:

The fresh parsley oil is an optional extra. You could replace the parsley with basil or coriander, if you prefer. You simply need to drizzle a small amount over the gazpacho.

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Toppings:

As well as topping the gazpacho with herb oil, I like to add some extra chopped vegetables, for a little flavour and texture contrast. You can use:

• cucumber
• tomatoes – any colour
• peppers/capsicum – any colour
• celery
• fresh herbs
• a large pinch of white crab meat is delicious too

How to make Gazpacho with Fresh Parsley Oil

Collect all your ingredients together:

Gazpacho ingredients –

• vine plum tomatoes, chopped
• red pepper/capsicum, seeded and chopped
• red chilli, seeded and chopped
• cucumber, seeded and chopped
• red onion, peeled and chopped
• garlic, peeled, chopped and core removed
• fine salt
• sherry or white wine vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• caster sugar, if necessary

Parsley Oil ingredients –

• fresh parsley, including stems
• extra virgin olive oil

How to make this delicious soup:

1. Prepare the vegetables –
   • tomatoes – roughly chopped
   • pepper/capsicum – stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
   • chilli – stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
   • cucumber – end trimmed, roughly chopped
   • red onion – peeled and roughly chopped
   • garlic – peeled, halved and core removed
2. Tip the vegetables and salt into a food processor and blitz, on top speed, until smooth.
3. Add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of oil and blend again. Drizzle the remaining oil through the spout as you continue to process.
4. Place a sieve over a bowl or jug and pour in the gazpacho. Strain.
5. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
6. Place it in the fridge for a few hours, before you serve it.

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Now make the Parsley Oil:

1. Roughly chop the parsley and stems and blitz in a food processor until chopped.
2. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil.
3. Strain the parsley and oil through a sieve to get a clear oil. I double strain; the second sieve I use has a much finer mesh, but this is not strictly necessary.

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How to serve gazpacho:

Gazpacho can be served as a drink or as a soup.

As a drink –

I like to thin the gazpacho slightly and serve it in shot glasses or, if serving in larger glasses, I don’t thin it, but then I serve it over ice. If the weather is particularly hot, chill the glasses first.

As a soup –

Serve very chilled in bowls with your choice of toppings. If the weather is very hot, I may add a couple of cubes of ice to the soup, plus, I will chill the bowls first.

How to store gazpacho:

You can store the gazpacho, covered, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. If it separates, just give it a good stir.

Made this recipe?

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