Serves: 4
Ingredients
● 400g of the best vine-ripened tomatoes you can find
● 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
● ½ small cucumber, peeled and cut into rough chunks
● ½ red onion, roughly chopped
● 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
● ½ tsp salt
● 1 tsp sherry vinegar
● 20ml very good-quality extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
To serve
● 2cm piece of cucumber
● 1 small/medium tomato
● A few chives
● Cracked ice
● 100ml chilled vodka
Method
● Cut out the woody core from under the stem of each tomato, then slice the tomatoes. Blend all the vegetables in a liquidiser, then pass the mixture through a sieve or food mill, reserving the juice and discarding any solids.
● Add the salt, sherry vinegar and olive oil to the juice, stirring well. Taste and check seasoning. Chill well.
● To serve: peel the cucumber, remove the seeds and chop in tiny dice.
● Drop the tomato in boiling water, drain and remove the skin. Discard the seeds and cut the flesh into tiny dice, like the cucumber. Snip the chives into short lengths. Add a few lumps of cracked ice to each glass and divide the vodka between them.
● Fill the glasses with gazpacho and top each one with some diced cucumber and tomato, and a few snipped chives. If necessary, prepare the garnish in advance and add at the picnic spot.
Adapted from The Picnic Cookbook, National Trust Books
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