Andalusian Gazpacho Recipe

There is no food that is more evocative of summer than gazpacho.  In the late summer, when local tomatoes are plentiful around most of the country, it's one of the easiest, most impressive ways to begin a summer meal.  With the richness of the pureed bread, it can even be a light meal on its own. 

Those of you on the Tablas Creek mailing list will see this recipe in our summer newsletter (due in mailboxes in the next week or so).  I thought I'd give followers of the blog an advance taste.  It's an absolutely knockout pairing with the 2008 Tablas Creek Rosé. We'll be having this ourselves this evening.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
4 slices country-style white bread, about 1 inch thick, crusts removed
4 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 lbs. very ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
salt

Directions

• Soak bread for 30 minutes in a small bowl in water to cover. Squeeze out moisture with your hands.
• Puree bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and water with an immersion blender until very smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water.
• Season to taste with salt (and additional vinegar if necessary).
• Cover with aluminum foil and chill gazpacho in refrigerator.
• Adjust seasonings and serve in individual glasses or soup bowls.