Gazpacho: A cool and simple summer classic

Gazpacho originated in Andalusia in the southern region of Spain where the hot climate called for a cooling and hydrating dish. Originally, Gazpacho was made by pounding bread, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a mortar, creating a thick paste. Water was then added to achieve the desired consistency, and the soup was served chilled. Over time, the recipe evolved to incorporate the vibrant flavours and rich colours of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions.

Our super-simple, classic Gazpacho recipe is the easiest chilled summer soup that you’ll ever find and takes less than 10 minutes to make. If you pre-chill all the ingredients, you can eat it immediately – it’s like having a health-boosting smoothie for a starter and is a great take-out lunch if you have a fridge at work or a flask to keep it cool. It is packed with Vitamin C and a generous dose of other vitamins and minerals from Vitamin K to copper.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded & roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled & chopped
1 red pepper & 1 green pepper, deseeded & chopped
1 litre of tomato juice, chilled
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
ground black pepper

Method:
1) Put all the ingredients in a blender (liquidiser) and blend until smooth
2) Season to taste.
3) Chill in the fridge for two hours before serving.

Top Tip – For the quickest & easiest way prepare the cucumber: peel it whole; cut lengthways into quarters; slice out the seeds in one knife action and you have a peeled and deseeded cucumber. Then chop it up.

For a couple of alternatives to try out, let us know how you get on with these added extras…
Option 1 – Add a clove of garlic or two for extra kick and anti-Candida properties.
Option 2 – Add a couple of dashes of Tabasco for a nice bite
Option 3 – Add some sweetness with some watermelon
Option 4 – Go creole style and add some Jalapeño peppers and some lime juice.

Most importantly. Enjoy!