Gaspacho

Old-World Spanish Gazpacho With Five Fresh Herbs

This is the rustic, mortar-style gazpacho that came before blenders made everyone’s version look like tomato juice. Here, you mash the tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper into a coarse pulp by hand, drizzle olive oil in slowly the way you build a vinaigrette, and finish with a tart squeeze of lemon.

The herb mix is what sets this version apart. Five fresh herbs go in: chives, chervil, parsley, basil, and marjoram. That layered green note keeps the soup from tasting flat, which is the trap most one-note tomato gazpachos fall into.

The sliced cucumber and paper-thin onion stay raw and crunchy in each bowl, while bread crumbs sprinkled on top thicken the body just enough. The four-hour ice bath is essential, gazpacho served warm tastes thin and dull. Cold makes the flavors snap.

Chef Tips

• Peel and seed the tomatoes properly. Skin curls into unpleasant strips and seeds turn the soup bitter.
• Add the olive oil in a slow stream while mashing. This emulsifies the soup the way a vinaigrette comes together, building body without water.
• Use stale country bread for the crumbs. Fresh bread turns gummy on contact.
• Salt twice: once during mashing and again after chilling. Cold dulls salt, so taste right before serving.
• Ice the soup directly in the serving bowl with a few cubes if you want extra chill without diluting too fast.

Variations

• Swap meat or fish stock for the cold water for a savory, restaurant-style depth.
• Float a poached egg or chunks of cooked shrimp on top to make it a meal.
• Stir in a teaspoon of sherry vinegar instead of lemon for a more traditional Andalucían profile.