Name: Gazpacho
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Cuisine: Spanish & PortugueseEurope
Ingredients: 3 ripe medium beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes following illustrations below (about 4 cups); 2 red bell peppers (about 1 pound), cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes following illustrations below (about 2 cups); 2 small cucumbers (1 peeled, 1 unpeeled), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups); 1/2 sweet onion or 2 large shallots, chopped fine (1/2 cup); 1/3 cup sherry vinegar; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 2 teaspoons table salt; 5 cups tomato juice; 8 ice cubes; 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional); Extra-virgin olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

For the best gazpacho recipe, with clearly flavored, distinct vegetables in a bracing tomato broth, we chopped the vegetables by hand, tossed them in a sherry vinegar marinade, used a fresh-flavored tomato juice, and chilled our soup for a minimum of 4 hours.

Before You Begin

This recipe makes a large quantity because the leftovers are so good, but it can be halved if you prefer. Use a Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla onion here. Traditionally, diners garnish their gazpacho with more of the same diced vegetables that are in the soup, so cut some extra vegetables when you prepare those called for in the recipe. Additional garnish possibilities include simple garlic croutons, chopped pitted black olives, chopped hard-cooked eggs, and finely diced avocados. For a finishing touch, serve in chilled bowls.

Instructions

Combine tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onion, vinegar, garlic, and salt in large (at least 4-quart) nonreactive bowl and season with pepper to taste. Let sit until vegetables just begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice; ice cubes; and hot sauce, if using. Cover tightly and refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Discard any unmelted ice cubes and season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold, drizzling each portion with about 1 teaspoon oil.