This refreshing soup from Spain’s sun-scorched south is made from raw summer vegetables and olive oil, and brims with cancer-protective plant compounds. It requires a little prep time, but since none of it demands much precision – just a bit of coarse chopping and shredding – it’s easily done.
If you can’t get hold of cilantro, you can replace it with basil, parsley or chives, or a combination of these. Serves 4.
(Recipe from: Zest for Life, The Mediterranean Anti-Cancer Diet.)
- 1¾lb/800g fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes, cubed
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 cucumber, cubed
- 1 purple onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped basil
- 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2.5fl oz/1/3 cup/75ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2fl oz/¼ cup/50ml sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Avocado relish
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
Combine tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion and basil in a large salad bowl and squeeze the garlic into the vegetables with a garlic press; add olive oil, tomato paste and vinegar and toss to combine.
Tip about half the mixture into a blender and liquidize. Transfer to a serving bowl. Blend the second batch and combine with the first. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
Just before serving, prepare relish: combine cubed avocados, spring onion, tomato, cilantro and lemon juice in a bowl, toss lightly and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, place an ice cube or two in each serving bowl or glass, ladle soup over these and top with avocado garnish.
Variation
Garnishing gazpacho with hard-boiled, chopped egg boosts the protein content of this dish and makes it suitable for a stand-alone meal.
