Macerated Gazpacho with Garlic Croutons
A restaurant-style gazpacho: vegetables macerated in salt, sherry vinegar and oil to draw out their juices, then blended and strained velvet-smooth.
Method
Core the tomatoes and cut them into 3 cm chunks; peel the cucumber, seed the pepper and roughly chop the shallot and garlic. Put everything in a large bowl with the bread torn into pieces, add the salt, sherry vinegar, cumin and half the olive oil, toss, cover and refrigerate for . You want a pool of juice at the bottom and the bread soaked with it.
Add in this stepRipe tomatoes (some cherry tomatoes deepen the flavour) 600 gCucumber 100 gGreen bell pepper 60 gShallot (or onion) 20 gGarlic clove 1Day-old baguette 40 gSalt ¾ tspSherry vinegar 1 tbspGround cumin 1 pinchExtra-virgin olive oil 25 ml
While it macerates, make the garnish: cut the cucumber (without the seedy core), red pepper and red onion into tiny 3 mm cubes (brunoise) and keep each in its own little pile in the fridge. Soak the red onion in cold water for 5 minutes and drain to soften its bite.
Cut the crouton bread into 1 cm cubes and crush the garlic with the flat of a knife. Warm the crouton oil and garlic in a 20 cm frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, add the bread and toast for , tossing often, until golden and crisp on all sides. Drain on paper towel and discard the garlic.
Add in this stepBaguette (for croutons) 40 gGarlic clove, unpeeled (for croutons) 1Olive oil (for croutons) 2 tbsp
medium heatTip the macerated vegetables and bread, plus every drop of juice from the bowl, into the blender and blend on the highest speed for until completely smooth.
With the motor running, add the remaining olive oil in a thin stream over so it emulsifies. The soup should lighten to a coral pink and look velvety.
Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 25 ml
Pour it into a fine sieve and press it through with the back of a ladle to remove skins and seeds. Taste, adjust the salt and vinegar, and chill for . For the last 10 minutes, put the serving bowls in the freezer.
Ladle the gazpacho into the cold bowls and add the garnish in small neat piles so all three colours show. Top with the croutons, drizzle with the finishing oil and add a few drops of sherry vinegar.
Add in this stepCucumber (garnish) 40 gRed bell pepper (garnish) 30 gRed onion (garnish) 20 gFruity extra-virgin olive oil (to finish) 2 tsp
Cook's tip
Maceration is the secret: salt pulls the juices out of the vegetables, so the soup tastes deeper and never watery. The cumin should be barely noticeable, so don't overdo it. Add the croutons at the very last moment so they stay crunchy.
Cooking it at camp
Do the macerating, blending and straining at home and carry the soup in a bottle in the cooler, with the garnish in small tubs. Toast only the croutons at camp in a pan on the burner for a just-made feel.