once upon a chef
– 4 red bell peppers (about 2 pounds), seeded and quartered – 3 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1¼ pounds), quartered – 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered – 6 cloves garlic, peeled – 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided – 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, plus more for garnishing the soup – ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper – ½ teaspoon anise seeds – 2½ cups water – 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Gazpacho is a cold Spanish-style soup made from tomatoes, olive oil, wine vinegar, and other vegetables. It’s typically loaded with raw onions and garlic, but this version is flavored with mellow roasted garlic. It's vibrant and full of robust tomato flavor.
Gazpacho is incredibly easy to make. Begin by roasting the garlic cloves over medium heat in a small dry pan. When the skins are browned and the cloves are soft, they’re done.
In the meantime, chop the vegetables into large chunks.
Peel the roasted garlic and scrape off any char.
Add the peeled cloves to the bowl of a food processor and blitz to purée, then add the chopped tomatoes and pulse until coarsely chopped. Be careful not to overmix; you want the soup to be slightly chunky.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a bowl, then add the chopped bell peppers and cucumbers to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add the vegetables to the bowl with the tomatoes, then pour in the tomato juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasoning.
That’s all there is to it. Cover the soup and refrigerate until ready to serve — the longer it sits, the better it tastes. I love it simple and ungarnished, but you can also top it with croutons, sliced avocado or chopped hard-boiled eggs.