The Devil's Soup

I've been going really crazy over tomatoes, and not just those luscious summer heirloom varieties. Salsa - particularly on scrambled or fried eggs - has been my crave. I have never been a real salsa eating fool, so I was alarmed when I found myself eating it by the spoonful one morning. No, I'm not having puppies.

Gazpacho is cousin to salsa. I always liked the idea of cold soup, but rarely ate gazpacho. Early in the summer when a guest on the Splendid Table described the gazpacho soup in Spain as velvety, I wanted some. He said the secret to a velvet gazpacho is good olive oil and sherry vinegar, stale bread, and a high performing blender. Like most, I don't own a $500 Vitamix, so I used my pedestrian but effective food processor. The gazpacho was triumphant and crisp, perfectly balanced.

I had been meaning to make this Splendid Table recipe again when I saw Chef José Andrés' gazpacho recipe in the September Bon Appetit. Andrés' Spanish tapas restaurant Jaleo serves a fresh, raw gazpacho that pairs beautifully with gambas al ajillo - sauteed shrimp with garlic. At Jaleo, the gazpacho is made with bread, just like the Splendid Table guest suggested. Andrés' version in Bon Appetit left out the bread. It would be a departure, but less steps. Once I got going, I was grateful to see the tomato puree froth and thicken like a pink lemonade gelato. I sip it like morning coffee.