Cherry Gazpacho

Ingredients

• Olive Oil 5 fl oz
• White bread 2 pieces
• Garlic 3 cloves
• Orange Bell Peppers 1 piece
• Orange Bell Peppers 1 piece
• Cucumbers 1 piece
• Cherry 15 oz
• Spiced Tomato Juice 10 fl oz
• Red Wine Vinegar 0 fl oz
• Salt to taste
• Ground Black Pepper to taste
• Thyme 1 sprig
• TABASCO® to taste
• Fresh basil leaves to taste

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1

Prepare all the ingredients.

Step 2

Sprinkle a slice of bread with olive oil and quickly toast it in a skillet on both sides.

Step 3

Rub one side of the bread with a clove of garlic. Cut into small cubes and transfer to a large bowl.

Step 4

Mince the second clove of garlic, remove the seeds from the bell pepper, peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler and also remove the seeds, then chop both into small cubes.

Step 5

Add garlic, pepper, and cucumber to the bowl with the bread.

Step 6

Remove the pits from the cherries and add the berries to a bowl (set aside 12 berries to chop for serving).

Step 7

Pour in the tomato juice, vinegar, and 60 ml of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

Step 8

Trim the crust off the second slice of bread, cut it into cubes, and toss it with the remaining olive oil.

Step 9

Sauté in a skillet, stirring, with sprigs of thyme and the remaining garlic. Transfer the croutons to a paper towel and discard the garlic. Season the croutons with salt.

Step 10

Blend the mixture of vegetables and berries into a puree in a blender, strain through a sieve, season with salt and pepper, and add Tabasco to taste.

Step 11

Pour the gazpacho into deep bowls, sprinkle each serving with croutons, chopped cherries, and garnish with basil.