My friend Angela, speaking little to no English, relocated from Spain to the USA in the early ’90s with her husband. We discovered each other at a local fast food joint while our children played together in the ball pit. Our first “conversation” was held with a great deal of effort, using a lot of pen and paper and big hand gestures. One visit led to another, and over time we became close friends, sharing some of our favorite foods. In Angela’s part of Spain, gazpacho (gahz-PAH-cho) is served year round as both a cool drink and a cold soup. This is my take on her family favorite.
Cholesterol Buster Tip: Reduce the olive oil by half to reduce the saturated fat content.
Gazpacho Recipe
| WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO | WHY |
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Tear bread into pieces; place in a blender or food processor. All remaining ingredients in the order listed. | Bread acts as a thickener. Placing bread close to the blades promotes blending. Finding tasty fresh beefsteak style tomatoes can be difficult. Red peppers add natural sweetness and intensify gazpacho color. Adding in the order listed facilitates blending. |
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Add all to blender; pulse just until combined. Chill at 3-5 hours before serving. | Extra-virgin olive oil adds a fresh layer of flavor. Time brings the flavors together, and chilling makes gazpacho more refreshing. |
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Top each serving with basil; serve with toasted bread on the side. |
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