 Gazpacho 1 kg of ripe tomatoes 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 3 tbsp of white wine vinegar 75 ml of extra virgin olive oil fried bread croutons To skin the tomatoes, use a shape knife to score the top and bottom with a small ‘X’. Drop them into a large pan of boiling water, remove after 10 seconds and plunge directly into cold water. When cool, remove and discard the skin and roughly chop the flesh. Combine the tomato with the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blitz the lot until a smooth consistency is achieved. Refrigerate until cool. Blitz again, just prior to serving.  | Summer is definitely upon us and after what seemed like a damp and relatively cool Spring, the temperatures here are bordering on the silly. All the tried and tested prescriptions are advisable: frequent dips in the ocean, plenty of sunblock and gin n tonics at dusk being just a few. Culinary wise, what´s necessary are cooling dishes, quick to buy for and easy to prepare. In all respects, gazpacho ticks the boxes. It´s revitalising, delicious, a cinch to make and this basic recipe requires just 5 ingredients. I´m not sure if this would be considered a Salmorejo instead of Gazpacho. In both cases it´s usual to add soaked bread before blitzing. This helps to bind the liquid and achieves a creamy consistency. The amount of olive oil in this version has a similar effect and I´ve chosen to fry the bread and add it as croutons. The anchovies are an optional but delicious extra. Marinated Anchovies 400 g of fresh anchovies 1 1/2 tsp of salt 75 ml of white wine vinegar 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 75 ml of extra virgin olive oil fresh coriander leaves Remove and discard the heads and guts of the fish. Tightly pinch the top of the spine between your fore finger and thumb and ease the flesh away from the bone by running them down towards the tail. Snip the spine off at the tail. You should be left with the two fillets butterflied and still attached by the tail. Give them a quick rinse under cold water and allow to drain. Place the fish into a small container and add the salt and vinegar, combine well and refrigerate for at least an hour and anything up to a couple of days Drain the vinegar from the fish and add the garlic, olive oil, black pepper and coriander. Delicious on toast, part of a tapas or as pictured. |
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