Makes 4 to 6 small servings
When the weather’s hot and you’re looking for something fabulously fresh and delicious, quick to make and instantly beloved, pull out your blender and this recipe for a gazpacho based on cherry tomatoes (I like to use Sun Golds for their sweetness, but red ones give you gorgeous color) and strawberries, a combination that should be inscribed in the book of heavenly matches. It’s a push-button answer to what to serve on the rocks before dinner, in a bowl to start dinner or late in the afternoon, when you’re craving something to tide you over.
Like so many good recipes, this one’s easy to play around with. I’ve given you everything you need to make a first-rate soup, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvisation. Of course you can add more mint, basil, ginger, lime, vinegar, harissa or other hottener you want. What you shouldn’t do is add less: Gazpacho is meant to be bold and you should catch the vinegar with each sip or spoonful; it’s part of what makes the soup so refreshing. Also, remember that spices and salt lose their oomph when chilled and that this soup is meant to be served very cold. You can always add more of anything after the gazpacho has chilled, but you’d do well to make the soup salty and full of flavor from the get-go.
The photo.
Working Ahead
The gazpacho has to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours, and it benefits from an overnight chill — the texture thickens just a tad and the flavors come together in a more interesting way.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and whir like mad. If you like a chunky gazpacho (I’m a smoothie person), you can whir less madly, but remember that you want to puree the tomato skins and ginger. Taste for seasoning and adjust, going a little heavier on the vinegar and salt, if you’d like, since they’ll be tamed in the fridge.
Pour the soup into a storage container, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or, preferably, overnight before serving. When you’re ready to serve, shake or stir the gazpacho well and taste for seasoning.
Serve in glasses, over ice or straight up, or in bowls, with or without optional add-ins. No matter how you serve, there are two constants: cold and sharpness, so check the seasonings and, if you’d like, have some hot sauce on hand for everyone to season as they go.
Storing: Tightly covered, the gazpacho will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
Choices: The soup is luscious with nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil, and even that’s optional, but it’s also good with a bunch of sprinklers: baby croutons that have been toasted or tossed in a skillet with olive oil; slivers of chile pepper; chopped toasted almonds; small cubes of tomato and/or strawberries (giving a hint of what’s to come) or chopped basil, mint or other herbs. For something a little more substantial, try small pieces of highly seasoned cooked shrimp or scallops.