Relax, it's just gazpacho.

Summer on a plate

If you're looking to savor the freshest flavors of summer, this chilled summer soup is just the ticket. It's also incredibly easy to make. Simply chop up the best summer vegetables in a food processor, if you have one. Or grab a knife and cutting board (and maybe grab a friend) and start chopping. Tomatoes are the traditional base for this soup, complemented by cucumbers, some onion, and a few herbs. Add some acid, usually vinegar (especially sherry), a drizzle of olive oil for smoothness, and you're ready to go. You can also add peppers—both sweet and hot—for good measure.

Vegetable base

As with any traditional dish, there's no single, universally accepted preparation method. For example, should tomato juice or water be added, or is a combination of the natural juices from the vegetables and tomatoes sufficient for the soup? There's debate about whether gazpacho should be smooth or chunky; whether stale bread should be added; whether almonds should be added, whether a blender or food processor should be used, or whether the ingredients should be chopped by hand. For beginners, we recommend sticking to this basic template and then forming your own opinion.

Cutting vegetables

For best results, chop the vegetables into small pieces, then process them in batches in a food processor to control how finely chopped they are (and to prevent them from turning into puree). They will all be combined later, so it doesn't really matter which vegetables are chopped together.

Aromatic ingredients

You can use garlic, shallots, any kind of onion, even green onions or leeks. For the first batch of soup, follow the basic recipe: use a combination of red onion and shallots.

Green vegetables

Note that all the vegetables end up in one bowl, so you don't have to wash the food processor after each batch. Here, along with the cucumbers, a little fennel is added for a bright aniseed note and hot pepper for a punchy flavor. You can use hot sauce instead of pepper.

Tomatoes and bread

To peel or not to peel? The short answer is no. However, the hard stem and core should be removed. Then, chop the tomatoes into pieces before chopping in a food processor. Add 1-2 torn slices of bread to the mixture—they'll add thickness and volume. Use plain white bread so it doesn't overpower the pure flavors of the vegetables.

Chop in short intervals

When preparing gazpacho, do not leave the food processor running constantly, especially at this stage, otherwise the bread will turn into paste.

Combine in a large bowl.

Chop or chop the vegetables in batches and add them to one large bowl where they will turn into a wonderful soup.

More vegetables for texture

You can certainly puree all the ingredients in a food processor instead of chopping them by hand and still get a great gazpacho. You can also chop all the vegetables by hand if you want a more elegant, uniform result. However, this is time-consuming, so as a compromise, you can dice a few vegetables, especially those that slice neatly and easily, like zucchini and bell peppers.

Stir in some liquid

Some prefer a simple blend of the vegetable's natural juices with olive oil, an acid (like vinegar), and possibly water. For a more soup-like texture, you can also add a splash of tomato or vegetable juice. Another option is to puree 1-2 cups of chopped vegetables with the liquid to create a thick puree that can then be stirred into the gazpacho.

Seasonings to taste

While this is true for many dishes (if not all), the optimal balance of acid, salt, and pepper seems to be what separates a good gazpacho from a great one. Be sure to taste the soup at the end and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Ready dish

Here it is: a refreshing soup that highlights all the delights of tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables that appear in abundance at the end of summer.

Garnish and serve

A wonderful summer soup doesn't require anything special, but a little olive oil, lime wedges, and diced avocado certainly won't do it any harm.