Gazpacho andaluz / Andalusian Gazpacho

serves 2

500g ripe tomatoes: plum tomatoes make a redder gazpacho

1/2 cucumber

1/2 red pepper

1/2 green pepper

50g white bread
1 garlic clove

75ml olive oil

20ml Jerez sherry vinegar

Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Break the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl covered with cold water. Leave to soak in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, peppers and cucumber and add them to your blender or food processor. Squeeze out the water from the bread and add that along with the oil and the crushed garlic. Blend until smooth.

3. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve: which will remove the seeds and skin.

4. Add the vinegar and season to taste.

5. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

6. Gazpacho can be served with finely chopped peppers,cucumber and onion* and mint leaves or with croutons: gently fry a bruised clove of garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and then fry the bread. For Parmesan croutons simply press the bread into Parmesan before frying.

onion* if the onion is too strong for you, you can make it milder by soaking the chopped onion in salty water for 10 minutes. Drain and serve. 

Or, put the chopped onion in a heatproof bowl and sprinkle over salt before covering with boiling water: leave to cool. The onion will be much milder.