Summer Gazpacho Soup

For summer days when the thought of getting behind the stove is too much to bear, this chilled Spanish soup makes the most of this season’s bounty.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp white wine vinegar
30g white bread, torn into pieces
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
½ cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
300g large tomatoes on the vine, halved and seeded
150g mixed baby tomatoes, plus 6 extra to serve
½ red chilli, seeded and quartered
½ red onion, peeled and diced
1 small garlic clove, peeled
handful fresh thyme leaves, chopped
100g ice cubes
few drops Tabasco (optional)
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
crusty bread, to serve (optional)

Method:

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with 50ml cold water and ½ tsp salt. Put the bread in the vinegar mix to soak and set aside.
Meanwhile, put the pepper, most of the cucumber, the large and baby vine tomatoes, chilli, onion, garlic and most of the thyme leaves in a blender. Add the soaked bread, the ice and the Tabasco (if using) and blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier soup, blitz briefly in a food processor. Season to taste.
Divide between 2 bowls. Chop the 6 remaining baby tomatoes and scatter over the soup. Top with the remaining chopped thyme and cucumber, a drizzle of olive oil and a grinding of black pepper. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
Transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1-3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight and add a splash of water to loosen, if necessary.

Source: tesco.com