Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup
Gazpacho has a long and legendary history — from the original versions with stale bread, garlic, olive oil and water from Moors in Morocco to the Portuguese iterations. In the 19th century, the Spaniards in the Andalusian region added tomatoes to it. Today, there are umpteen varieties of this simple chilled soup — some include fruits such as cantaloupe and grapes. I have experimented with adding mango, cherries and other fruits.
When heirloom tomatoes are in full Texas bloom like they are now, this chilled raw soup is the delicious epitome of a hot summer. I’ve omitted the onion, switched out garlic for ginger; the soup takes minutes to make. The color of the tomatoes will deeply affect the color of the soup, so pick the reddest ripe tomatoes you can.
ingredients
1 pound ripe, red tomatoes
1 small Persian cucumber
1-inch piece fresh unpeeled ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 serrano pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon sea salt
Garnish:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small Persian cucumber, sliced
1 medium heirloom tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Pinch of red chili powder
Serves 4
instructions
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, cucumber, ginger, red bell pepper, serrano, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Strain if desired.
Chill until ready to serve. To serve, pour into 4 small serving bowls and top with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro, a pinch of red chili powder and a drizzle of olive oil.
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