Gazpacho is one of my favorite dishes to serve during the hot summer months. I have three criteria for my gazpacho: it must be served very cold, in shallow chilled soup dishes; it must be made with brioche (to add a touch of sweetness to the soup) and it must be served with brioche croutons to give the soup a little texture.
Cherry Tomato Gazpacho with Brioche Croutons
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- cocktail picks to hold garnish
Ingredients
- 9 ounces red cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 10 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips (from a jar)
- 2 teasponns Olivelle Meyer Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 brioche hot dog roll
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 brioche hot dog rolls
- 4 tablespoons butter
- Garnishes: red and yellow cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves chiffonade
Instructions
- Take tops off cherry tomatoes and place them in a blender. Blend on medium speed until pureed.
- Add red onion, roasted red pepper strips, meyer lemon balsamic vinegar and lime juice to tomatoes and blend until all ingredients are combined.
- Add cucumber and garlic cloves. Blend until cucumber is pureed.
- Tear 1 brioche hot dog roll into pieces and place in the blender with tomato mixture. Add cumin, cayenne pepper and tomato paste. Blend until hot dog roll is thoroughly incorporated into tomato mixture.
- Pour gazpacho into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- To make brioche croutons: Split 2 brioche hot dog rolls into two pieces. Cut rolls into crouton size pieces.
- Melt butter in a saute pan. Place the brioche pieces in the melted butter and saute on both sides over medium heat until both sides are lightly browned and crunchy. Watch carefully so croutons do not burn, reduce heat if needed.
- To serve: Place shallow glass bowls and soup spoons in freezer to chill an hour before service.
- Place gazpacho in chilled bowls and garnish with red and yellow cherry tomatoes on cocktail picks along with chiffonade fresh basil.
