Gazpacho soup, also known as gazpacho, is a cold, Spanish liquid salad that is popular in warmer areas and during the summer. Gazpacho descends from an ancient Andalusian concoction based on a combination of stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar - a cold breadsoup. With the Columbian Exchange beginning in 1492, the tomato and the bell pepper were brought to Europe.

In the United States and other countries, there exists the common misconception that the fundamental ingredient of Gazpacho is tomato. While tomato is an important ingredient of the most commonly-known form of Gazpacho, it is still the original ingredients mentioned above which define this recipe. In Andalusia, there are many types of Gazpacho, many of them not including tomato at all. One very popular type of Gazpacho is White Gazpacho or Ajoblanco Malagueño made principally with almonds, bread, garlic, vinegar and oil.

A completely different approach for this recipe is gazpacho manchego. As the name implies it seems to have originated from the La Mancha region in Spain, but it is also popular in other areas in the center and southwest of the country. Instead of a cold soup, it is a warm stew. The main ingredients are meat (rabbit in many cases) and bread (a special kind of flat bread), and may also include mushrooms. Therefore, bread is the ingredient that really identifies a gazpacho.

Sample recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb /450 g tomatoes
• 1/2 lb / 225 g green peppers
• 1 cucumber
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 oz / 50 g good white bread baguette, 2-3 days old
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3oz/90ml olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Ice cubes

To garnish:

• 2 tomatoes, skinned, diced small
• 1/2 green pepper, diced small
• 1/4 peeled cucumber, diced small
• toasted baguette cubes

restaurants, gazpacho with local ham is called gazpacho extremeño. The ham tends to be added to the soup in the kitchen prior to serving (unlike the other garnishes which are provided in separate dishes and added at the table).

Method
Skin the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Remove seeds and stalks from peppers. Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks and prepare the other garnishes. Tear up the bread and soak it in water for 30 minutes and then squeeze it dry.

Blend all the ingredients. Chill for at least a hour. Pour into large bowl with some ice, add salt and pepper. Serve garnishes in separate little bowls on the table, so that guests can sprinkle on their own toppings.

Serve chilled.

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