In the spring when the first punnets of strawberries appear I don’t think of cryspy pavolovas and fatty cream I think of gazpacho. Gazpacho was always made with tomatoes and made it at home by a very patient mom. Dani Garcia was one of the first chefs to revolutionize it.
These days flavored gazpachos are on every supermarket shelf and in many fridges.
But I am not going to lie and say that the best strawberry gazpacho is made with fresh strawberries since it is not. Chefs use prepared (yes expensive fruit purees) to give their gazpachos that je ne sais quoi that you just don’t get from fresh strawberries. In order to make this pre-summer gazpacho follow a traditional gazpacho recipe and add the strawberry puree. I love to serve them in little shot glasses about 50 cl.
Strawberry Gazpacho
Gazpacho de Freson Serves 4 – 6
500g. of strawberry puree
500g. of ripe tomatoes
1 small green pepper or red pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
1 cup of baguette bread cubed
2-4 tbsp of sherry vinegar
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
water to thin down
salt
pinch of sugar (if needed)
4 strawberries chopped finely for decorating
extra olive oil for decorating
Soak the bread with the vinegar and half the water.
Blend all the vegetables, bread, rest of the water and strawberries in a blender.
With the blender running at the highest speed, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube until emulsified. Let rest for a couple of hours or preferably overnight. Correct seasoning. Garnish with the chopped strawberry and drizzle with a little oil.